


Maryland State Trooper (2003 Edition)

by Red_Hope



Category: Original Work, Xena: Warrior Princess
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Uber Xena, F/F, Uber
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-25
Updated: 2019-07-27
Packaged: 2020-07-19 08:07:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 26
Words: 189,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19970767
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Red_Hope/pseuds/Red_Hope
Summary: Ashley K. Carver, Maryland State Trooper, is driving home one evening from her girlfriend's house when she comes upon a suspicious car. She tails the car to a cornfield and discovers a young woman, Katia, is about to be harmed. Ashley quickly acts and in the process finds herself in a new friendship that she never expected. This is the story about Ashley and Katia, who find that their opposite lives binds them closer than blood ever could. 2003 Edition.





	1. Cover

**Author's Note:**

> This story is mostly an original piece that's an uber (alternate universe) version of Xena & Gabrielle from the XWP fandom. MST was partially re-written in 2007. 
> 
> More recently, MST has been completely re-written from scratch and published under the book title Wicomico Slow. The upcoming book is a New Adult Contemporary Romance novel. For more details on all editions, please see below.
> 
> \---
> 
> Maryland State Trooper (2003 Edition)  
> [ https://archiveofourown.org/works/19970767/chapters/47277376](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19970767/chapters/47277376)
> 
> Maryland State Trooper (2007 Edition)  
> [ https://archiveofourown.org/works/20003014/chapters/47361022](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20003014/chapters/47361022)
> 
> Wicomico Slow (Published Novel)  
> [ https://wasppublishing.com/books/1003-mst/](https://wasppublishing.com/books/1003-mst/)

  
  



	2. Cover

**Chapter 1**

Ashley lifted the thin but long knob up next to her steering wheel. Her car suddenly took control of the speed and kept it at a constant sixty miles per hour. Ashley yawned a little then stretched her legs out between the pedals. The ride back home had been rather long for her since she was headed back from Lancaster Pennsylvania. She wasn’t even sure why she was bothering to drive this far anymore but she was dating.

For the past six months, she’d been with Laurel after they’d met at a bar in Fell’s Point near the Baltimore Inner Harbour. They’d hit it off pretty well and after a few nights out together, they decided to stick it out together. Although, Ashley hadn’t known that Laurel actually lived up in Lancaster until Laurel decided to tell her she was moving up there.

At first, Ashley had been tempted to break up with Laurel just for that and well because of the distance too. Yet, here she was driving back home a little after midnight headed back home after just seeing Laurel. She had yet to understand how she always ended up driving up to see Laurel and Laurel never drove down to really see her.

Ashley shook her thoughts away then reached up to wipe away her own tiredness. It didn’t seem to help and what didn’t help any better was the fact her car was rather warm right now. She sighed and decided a little fresh, brisk air was what she needed to wake up. She reached over and turned off her heater then slipped her hand down to hit the window button. She pushed it briskly and the windows used their express feature so that they went down automatically. Ashley’s rich midnight hair suddenly started to fly up from the cool air coming in from the open window.

The sudden jolt of cold air woke Ashley up immediately and it made her sigh happily. She’d been driving this road for about half an hour, maybe more now but it’d been too long as far as she was concerned. She did know she was still in Pennsylvanian especially considering the condition of the back road. There was also very little traffic to speak of especially considering how late it was anyway.

But then Ashley noted an old Blazer not far ahead that was driving rather slowly as well. She eventually caught up to it but remained steady behind it despite she had the urge to zip around them. She tilted her head to the left some and took a second to reset her cruise control to a slower speed. Like an old habit, she began to study the car’s details as well as the occupant.

It was a white Chevy Blazer with a little chrome running down the sides. The license plate was from Pennsylvania, which was hardly lit up. That bothered Ashley sum but she shrugged it off as she focused on the driver. She assumed the person was a male and rather tired or distracted one since he kept going off the white line every now and again.

Then it occurred to her, there was also a passenger in the car as well. She hadn’t noticed at first because they seemed rather small plus their head had been resting on the passenger door. Suddenly, Ashley saw the driver turn the Blazer to the right onto the shoulder and turn onto a dark, dirt road.

Ashley furrowed her eyebrows but drove onwards anyway. She started to slow down, as she became worried for some reason. She pulled off to the side of the road and turned her headlights off. She kept her foot on the brake as she turned and looked back at the dirt road. She continued to watch the Blazer travel down the dirt road and throwing up dust. Suddenly the Blazer jerked to the right then swerved back onto the road before running off the road into a field.

Ashley narrowed her eyes then she reached down with her right hand to shift her car into reverse. Her car sped down the road, past the entrance of the dirt road then stopped. Ashley shifted the gears again, doubled checked to make sure all her lights were off then she turned down the dirt road.

As she quietly and slowly travelled down the road, she reached across her car and opened her glove compartment. She pulled out a 9mm gun and a pair of handcuffs. She controlled the wheel with her left hand while she slipped the gun between her pants behind her back. She then dropped her handcuffs in her right back pocket. Just ahead, she saw the Blazer and it’d stopped in the middle of the road with its headlights still running.

Ashley quickly but slightly stopped her car and remained in her car. She realized the passenger had gotten out of the car and was on the ground, she figured the passenger must have jumped since the passenger door was wide open. The driver was already out and racing around his car after the smaller person. The passenger had gotten up onto their feet and was already running when the driver lunged at them. Both people went crashing to the ground and rolling off the road onto the side of a field.

Ashley didn’t wait any longer. She threw open her car door and hastily sprinted towards the pair.

“You bitch!” yelled a man’s voice.

The passenger was underneath the man and rather stuck. They were trying to fight against the driver but the struggling wasn’t working.

Ashley heard a female yell then there was a loud smack against skin. She wasn’t far from them so she reached behind her shirt with her right hand.

The driver lifted his right hand, fisted and prepared to bring it down. He grinned as he saw the other person’s fearful look but then his grin slowly slipped away. He’d already felt the cold circle pressed against the back of his head.

“If you do that I can guarantee you that you’ll be dead,” whispered a deep, angry voice.

The driver actually considered it for a second but then he heard the gun’s hammer being pulled back. He now had the fearful look as he lowered his hand down.

“Now get up with your hands behind your back,” ordered Ashley. “You make any move and I will pull this trigger.”

The driver moved his hands to his back then carefully lifted himself up to his feet.

“Go to your car,” continued to order Ashley. Ashley kept her gun behind his head. She took a quick glance at the other person and realized it was a woman as she suspected. She quickly looked away when she realized the woman’s blouse was ripped. She returned her focus to the driver and marched him back to his car.

The driver came to the open passenger door and was temped to do something but with the gun against his head it made him rethink that idea.

Ashley reached forward and shut the door. She saw that the man was about to turn around but she growled, “Keep your back to me and put your hands up and palms against the side of the car.”

The man followed the orders and remained motionless.

Ashley lowered her gun but leaned forward with her left hand coming up. Her index finger and thumb came around the back of the man’s neck, she began to squeeze.

The driver suddenly sucked his breath in when he could barely breathe.

“Listen to me good,” whispered Ashley, “don’t ever try this again. Or I’ll make sure to hunt you down if I find out you’ve done something like this again. Is that clear?”

The driver opened his mouth to answer but suddenly the piercing pain in his neck shot up. He could only nod now.

“Good,” purred Ashley. She lifted her head up and straightened up to her full height. She took a faint step back and lifted her gun up but now holding it by the barrel. She suddenly slugged the man over the head. She watched as he fell to the ground but leaning face forward into the Blazer. She then heard a scuffing noise behind her and she’d just remembered the younger woman. She looked back at her. “Get into my car,” she ordered.

The girl looked up from the unconscious man and peered up at Ashley. “I….”

Ashley sighed when she saw how scared and shaken the girl was despite she tried to keep a calm look. “Please get into my car, you’ll be fine. I promise.” Ashley reached into her right pocket and extracted her inferred key. She pointed it at her car and clicked a button on the keypad.

Suddenly the car’s lights flashed and it unlocked.

The young woman looked away from Ashley’s car and said, “I need my stuff out of his car.”

“I’ll get it,” promised Ashley. “Go ahead.”

The young woman faintly nodded and dropped her head. She tightened her arms that were around her body, which held her blouse closed as well. She went to Ashley’s car and climbed into it.

Once Ashley heard the car slam shut, she returned her attention to the unconscious man. She shook her head at him then grabbed the door’s handle. She flung it open and poked her head in, her eyes resting exactly on the girl’s bag of stuff. She reached in and pulled out the heavy pack. She swung it across her back and slammed the door shut. As she knelt down, she reached behind her right pocket and pulled out her handcuffs. “You’re lucky I’m off duty today,” whispered Ashley.

The man seemed to hear her as he groaned.

Ashley sighed and snapped one of the handcuffs around his right wrist. She then stood up but still holding the other end of the handcuffs. She slightly dragged the man closer to the right and locked the other cuff threw the handle of the door. “You’re even luckier you’re not in my district.” She reached behind and put her gun away.

Looking back at her car, she saw the smaller woman huddled to one side of her car. She sighed but went to her car and opened the rear driver’s door and dropped the girl’s stuff in the seat. She then shut the door and opened the driver’s door, she climbed into her seat. “Are you okay?” she quietly asked.

“Yeah,” replied the young woman. She looked over and gave a reassuring smile.

Ashley faintly lifted an eyebrow because she could tell this girl was still shaken. She knew though that was something only time could fix. She pulled her inferred key out of her jean pocket and inserted it into the ignition. After the key and ignition read each other, she turned the key and her car immediately started up. “Put your seat belt on,” ordered Ashley.

The young woman didn’t hesitate when she got the direct order. She reached back and pulled the seat belt around. She bent forward some and snapped the belt into place. As she lifted her eyes, she couldn’t help but notice the metal object shining in the dash area. For a moment, she just stared at it then quickly straightened up.

Ashley hadn’t noticed her staring at any thing, she was too busy reversing the car down the dirt road. “I’m Ashley by the way.”

The young woman knew her savoir was trying to start some kind of conversation. “I’m Katia.”

Ashley’s eyes flickered from the rear view mirror to Katia then back up to the mirror. She then saw the end of the dirt room coming up so she turned and looked out her back window. She backed up her car onto the road but made sure to turn the wheel to the left. She stopped the car then shifted gears and continued travelling down the road towards home. “So Katia, where are you from?”

Katia quietly sighed and ran her fingers through short blond hair. After her hand was back in her lap, she replied, “The Eastern Shore.”

“You’re a little ways from home, huh?” Ashley could tell this younger woman was getting a little nervous. She sighed and said, “Can you grab that notepad there on my dash?”

Katia sat forward some and grabbed the notepad and pen that were tucked down in the little nook in the dash.

“Open it up,” instructed Ashley, “and write something for me.”

Katia flipped to a blank page and clicked the pen.

“Write the time and date.” Ashley waited until she heard Katia finished scribbling down the information. “Then write down PA 176HR0.”

Katia wrote the numbers and letters down and it struck her. Ashley was recording the Blazer’s tag number. She sighed and flipped the cover back over the notepad then put it back into its place. Her eyes met with the same metal object again when she put the notepad beside it. She sat up again and quietly said, “You’re a cop huh?”

Ashley focused on the long turn ahead then finally answered the question. “Sure am.” She glanced at the younger woman then back at the dark road ahead. “Or a pig.”

Katia quickly peered up when she heard Ashley use that slang name for police officers. “Well….” She peered down at the badge in the dash then back up at Ashley. “They’re the cops that tend to only eat donuts and do nothing else but hand out speeding tickets,” she tried to joke.

The amused Ashley started to quietly chuckle. “I see. I take it you’ve had a speeding ticket or two.”

“No,” confessed the young woman, “But I did get a warning once.”

“Oh?” The officer now had an interested look.

Katia smiled some and she finally felt relaxed around the older woman. “Yeah I was doing like seventy in a fifty-five.”

“And you got a warning?” complained the officer.

“Yeah well… my uncle is a judge,” joked the young woman.

Ashley’s eyebrows went up high. “You told the officer that?”

“Well no because I’d probably get a higher ticket then.” Katia chuckled. “I don’t know why he let me off, honestly. But other than that, the only other time I got stopped by a cop was for another warning.”

“What was this one?”

“My brake lights were out.” Katia sighed and shook her head. “And on my car it has this indicator that tells me if any of my lights go out. So I played the duh game with the sheriff and pointed at my indicator.”

Ashley felt an amused grin pull at her lips. “You must have a Mercedes then.”

“Yeah I do,” agreed Katia. Then a smiled pulled at her lips. “But not as nice is your one.” She then began to scan the car as if it was the first time she realized she was in one. “What year is it?”

“1998… it’s a C230.”

“Its beautiful,” commented Katia. “I have a fondness for them.”

“Mmmm,” agreed Ashley. “What type do you have?”

Katia huffed and straightened back in her seat after looking in the back. “An old 1990 190E.” She shrugged and looked at Ashley. “What can I say… she’s good to me.”

“That’s important,” reminded Ashley. She then noticed Katia had gone silent again and was huddling to the door side of the car. “Where from the Eastern Shore are you from?”

Katia knew these questions would be coming soon. She dropped her head against the cool window. “Chestertown Maryland but I go to college at Salisbury.”

“Salisbury University?” suggested Ashley.

Katia faintly nodded and took a deep breath.

“So why are you around here?”

Katia just shrugged and tried to stray around the subject. “Just on a weekend trip,” she brushed off.

Ashley could tell the prying would be hard especially since she was use to being a cop and just getting straightforward answers. “Well… I’ll take you to my home for tonight. I think it’s a little late to be travelling to Salisbury tonight.” She glanced over and saw Katia had closed her green eyes as if to end the talking. “Get some rest… it’s a long drive to my place.”

Katia faintly nodded and started to actually drift off. She felt a little chilled in the car but ignored it as she began to slip away. For once, she actually felt safe and she wasn’t sure if it was the badge sitting in the dash or just simply because of Ashley. Whatever it was it helped her slowly fall asleep.

Ashley sighed and tried to remain focused on her driving. She wasn’t tired like earlier because her body was still feeding off the remains of the adrenaline rush from earlier. She quickly looked at Katia and noticed she was cold. She sighed and turned the heater up some but not too much because she knew she’d boil over. So then she flicked the switch for the heated seat on Katia’s side.

Ashley continued driving down route 1 until she connected with route 273 and went through a small town in northern Maryland. It wasn’t long until she connected with I-95 and headed south for Baltimore. Occasionally she would glance over and see Katia sound asleep. She could only wonder why this girl was so far from home or college right now. Although she knew exactly what Katia was doing but she didn’t know why. Many things in a person’s life can drive them to runaway and believe they can escape their life.

After about another hour, Ashley took the ramp and went onto the beltway around Baltimore then it wasn’t long before she got onto route 83 and headed north yet again. Every now and again, Katia would take the long cut around and tonight was one of those times. It wasn’t long before she took her last exit and went into the small area called Hunt Valley. She drove down a large road named Shawan then came to an intersection, she made a right onto York road.

Ashley couldn’t wait to get home now especially considering she’d have an early morning tomorrow. She drove north on York road for a ways then once she got past the Wal-mart and over the small bridge, she made a right into a housing complex. Driving down the road, she went to her house. She decided not to bother with the garage tonight since she’d be getting up in a few hours anyway. She parked her car in her small paved driveway in front of the closed garage. She turned off her car and unbuckled her belt.

For a second, she didn’t move and just stared at Katia. She debated what to do but with a sigh, she grabbed her badge off the dash and jumped out of her car. She then opened the back driver’s door and pulled out Katia’s backpack. She slung it around and put both straps on then walked to the other side of the car. She had Katia’s door open and it had yet to wake the young woman.

“I bet she could sleep through an earthquake,” joked Ashley quietly to herself. She leaned down after putting the car key in her mouth and stretched her long arm out and unhooked the seatbelt. Carefully she slipped one arm behind Katia’s back and the other under her knees. Ashley held her breath as she backed up and lifted the woman at the same time.

Katia moaned softly and suddenly a shock rippled through her when she realized that she was in midair.

The officer pulled the young woman in tightly and stepped back. With her right foot, she gently shut the car door.

Katia opened her eyes some and peered up at Ashley.

“Before you fall asleep,” muttered Ashley between the key, “take this key.”

The sleepy Katia reached up and pulled the key from the other woman’s mouth.

“Thanks.” Ashley adjusted the woman in her arms more and then quietly said, “Click on that large button for me.”

Katia faintly nodded and clicked on the button. Ashley’s Mercedes flashed its front lights and the doors all locked. She had a silly grin at how the key made the car do that. She then rested her head against Ashley's shoulder and her eyes drifted shut.

The officer grinned some and saw how Katia was so relaxed around her. She turned around and walked onto the small path to the front of her house. She then almost cussed aloud when she realized her house keys were in her pockets, which required a hand to pull out.

But Ashley had a little hope and thought maybe she’d been in a real rush and left the door open earlier. “Katia,” whispered Ashley.

The young woman woke up some but she was rather dazed.

“Grab the door for me,” uttered the older woman.

Katia blinked and looked of her left shoulder. She then stretched out her left hand and grabbed the doorknob. She turned it and pushed the door some.

Ashley sighed in relief even though it was dumb of her to leave her house unlocked. She stepped into the dark house but she used her left shoulder blade to flip the switch on the wall beside the door. She then kicked behind and shut the door. Straight-ahead were the steps to go up stairs and she quickly flew up them. Off to her right was her bedroom and she went in there to deposit Katia in the middle of the double bed.

After Ashley rid herself of Katia’s pack, she went to one side of the bed. She carefully collected the car key from Katia’s hand. She then took off the young woman’s shoes.

Katia had been sleeping the entire time but rather lightly. She soon heard Ashley’s voice calling her name and she heard Ashley asking her to sit up. She sat up and faintly cracked her eyes open. She sensed Ashley taking her torn blouse off and then a cool tee-shirt covered her body. The next thing she knew she was being pulled under comfy flannel bed sheets and tucked in for the night.

The officer remained on the edge of the bed after pulling the covers over Katia. She sighed then stood up. She went to her dresser and pulled out a pair of flannel pants and a tee-shirt. She went to the bathroom next door and quickly changed into her clothes. Afterwards, she went back into her bedroom and put all her items on the dresser along with her gun and badge. After chucking her dirty clothes in the laundry basket, she quietly left the room and shut the door.

Ashley crept back down stairs and went into her living room where she smiled at her huge, comfy couch she’d fallen asleep on in past times. She went over to it and fell into it. She stretched her long legs out and reached up to jerk off the huge blanket she kept on it during fall and winter. She threw the blanket over her body and snuggled in as her couch warmed up.

Before she almost forgot, she reached across to the glass coffee table that had her spare alarm clock. She shoved several magazines out of the way until her hand found the clock. She always kept one down here since she had a tendency to fall asleep here. She set her alarm clock to seven thirty in the morning and when it read two sixteen the morning already, she sighed at it. She just rolled over onto her side and closed her eyes; it wasn’t long before she drifted asleep.

***

Katia rolled onto her back and groaned a little. She almost drifted back into her deep sleep except a rattling noise pulled her awake more. She started to woke up more and last night’s events seemed to filter back into her mind. She opened her eyes quickly when she heard somebody move.

“Its okay,” soothed a deep voice.

Katia stared at the police officer standing at the foot of the bed. “Wh….” She didn’t finish her question when she realized it was Ashley. Her confused expression broke and she blushed some when Ashley grinned at her.

“Forgot about that huh?” Ashley grinned and her hands moved up to clamp onto her large belt buckle.

“What time is it?” whispered Katia.

“About eight o’clock.” The officer turned around and stepped closer to her dresser. Her handcuffs on the back of her belt rattled in protest. She reached up and pulled her gun and badge off. She slipped her gun away into its holster then turned around with her hands up and pinning her badge into place.

Katia watched her hook the badge into its spot on her chest. She then found blue eyes lifting up to her.

“Stay here today,” suggested Ashley. “I assume you have no classes on a Saturday.”

Katia simply shook her head.

“Good because I think you need some rest.” Ashley walked over to Katia and gripped her belt buckle again with both hands. She bent her right knee then continued to talk. “I can take you home or back to your college tomorrow… if you want.” She could tell she wasn’t going to get an answer anytime soon from Katia. She also knew she could not hold Katia especially since she was over eighteen. “Think about it, Katia.”

“I will,” uttered the college student. She dropped her eyes for a moment but lifted her gaze back up. She stared at Ashley as a police officer and decided Ashley looked really nice in uniform. “Are you state or local?”

“I’m state police,” answered the officer. She then freed her left hand and reached up into her shirt pocket. She pulled out a card and handed it to the young woman. “This has the number to my barracks and also my cell phone number. I don’t always answer my cell phone because I can’t hear it, I’m too busy getting shot at or… just out of reception.”

Katia gulped and looked down at the card after she’d taken it. “Thank you,” she whispered.

“No problem.” Ashley turned around and went back to her dresser. She kept her back to Katia as she grabbed something off her dresser.

Katia curiously watched as the tall woman pulled her dark hair up and used a hair tie to keep it in a bundle.

Ashley then grabbed something else off of the dresser and turned around. “Get some rest today, okay? Call if you need anything and I’ll be back around four or five. Feel free to use anything in the house.” She then stepped over to the door.

Katia noted the brown hat in Ashley’s right hand. She peered up at the warm blue eyes that stared at her.

“Go back to sleep,” ordered Ashley. She lifted her right hand and put her large brimmed hat on then she smiled.

Katia couldn’t help but smile and she wasn’t sure if it was because of the transformation Ashley took on or because of the smile, maybe both. “Bye.”

Ashley tilted her hat some then walked out but called, “Bye.”

Katia sighed and closed her eyes. She could hear Ashley going down stairs then leaving the house. Slowly she opened her eyes again when she felt the paper item in her right hand. She lifted her right hand up over her head then opened her eyes. “Ashley Carver,” she read aloud, “Maryland State Police huh?” She looked to her left and saw a nightstand; she carefully placed it down on the nightstand.

That was when she caught sight of a framed picture. She rolled onto her left side and studied the picture closer. She knew the woman to the left in the picture was Ashley but she did not recognize the other woman at all. She furrowed her eyebrows as she tried to place where they were standing in the photo. Behind them was some kind of large building with a set of neon lights that made wave design and large buildings just behind like in a city.

Katia huffed then studied the other woman more carefully. She was just about as tall as Ashley but she had bright blond almost white hair. Her smile was huge and her eyes were like a hazel. For some reason, Katia shivered just from looking at her.

Deciding she’d seen enough of the photo, she rolled into her back again and closed her eyes. After a few deep breaths, she began to drift back into her sleep. She couldn’t argue with Ashley, she still felt exhausted and a little more sleep would help. After awhile, Katia’s little bit of sleep turned into three and half hours and she soon woke up just before eleven in the morning.

Katia finally rolled out of bed and actually felt pretty good. She was sitting on the edge of the bed and still letting herself wake up. Her feet hung off the side of the bed and didn’t touch the floor. She blinked and rubbed her face some then stood up. Her feet met the rug floor and she squeezed her sock-covered feet in the thick rug.

“Wish I could do this every day,” she muttered. Katia then spotted her pack sitting on a chair near a window. She went over to it and picked up her heavy pack. “Goddamn what did I pack in here?” she grumbled to herself. She hauled it back to the bag and tossed it onto the bed. “Should check my messages.”

Katia hopped back onto the bed, her left foot dangling off the side and her right leg crossed on the bed. She unzipped a small side pocket on the front of her bag and pulled out her cell phone. She’d turned it off when she left her college, which was back on Thursday. She could only imagine how many messages and voice mails she may or may not have on her cell phone.

With a heavy sigh, she flipped open the LG cell phone and pressed the power button. It took a few seconds for her cell phone to start up but once it did and logged into the system, it started blinking and ringing like crazy.

“Great!” complained Katia. “Just super.” She shook her head and further complained. “You disappear and then everybody decides to call yah.” She first decided to deal with the three text messages she had on her cell phone. She already knew who sent them.

“Mike… that figures.” Katia read Mike’s message first, which basically was him begging her to call. “Next message.” She scrolled down and found the next one from Sara. “Yeah, yeah I’ll call you too,” she grumbled. The last message was from Erin, who also wanted to know where she was and why she hadn’t seen her around. “Guess I outta start with Mike,” muttered Katia.

Katia backed out of the messages then went into her phonebook. She searched for Michael O’Brian then clicked the send button. She lifted the cell phone to her ear and listened to it ring.

Mike was one of Katia’s closest friends on the campus and he also happened to be one of her cluster mates. Katia lived on campus and in her dorm, she was down a small hall away from the main hall. In the small hall were three separate rooms with two students per room. Then there was also a small bathroom that all six students would share. That type of setup was called a cluster and Mike happened to be one of the guys that lived in her cluster. He was also gay.

“Hey Mike,” greeted Katia. She sighed when she heard the first question out of Mike’s mouth. “No, I’m fine.” She paused then repeated herself, “I’m fine, Mike… honestly.” She dropped her head some and stared at the flannel bed sheets. “I’m at a cop’s house.” She felt a small grin tug at her lips. “Yeah right… she arrested me.” She reached forward with her left hand and smoothed out the flannel blanket. “Her name is Ashley, Ashley Carver and I don’t know… she’s just some state trooper.” She sighed and her shoulders slumped. “I don’t know if she’s a sergeant or detective… no wait, her badge said Trooper on it.”

Katia pulled the flannel blanket over and found the next layer of blanket was the heavy quilt. “No, I just… had to get away, Mike. I told yah, I’m fine.” She closed her eyes and squeezed the blanket some. “I guess I’ll be back.” Her eyes opened quickly and she felt a growl climbing up in her throat. “Mike, I’m fine… honestly. And yes I know Sara and Erin are worried. I’m a big girl, yah know.” She calmed down some and small smile tugged at her lips. “Yes I know and thank you.” She started to nod a few times. “Alright, alright I’ll give them a call and I’ll keep you posted.” She pushed the flannel blanket back over top of the quilt. “Okay thank you. Love yah too. Bye, Mike.” She lowered her phone and flipped it shut at the same time. Mike was also her part-time boyfriend, she was sure of it anymore.

Katia opened her cell phone again and decided to give Erin a call next. Erin was her roommate and basically a sister to her. She also knew Erin was probably freaking out that she’d picked up some of her stuff and just disappeared without a word or even a warning. She hit the send button on Erin’s name.

“I’m fine,” was the first thing from her mouth. “How are you?” She laughed a little. “Just an unexpected vacation, Erin… no big deal.” She drummed her fingers some on her right leg. “I’m staying at a friend’s house.” She laughed again and answered Erin’s next question. “In Baltimore.” She rolled her eyes but was still grinning. “Yes, I know somebody in Baltimore well I do now.” Her smile slipped and she went more serious. “Her name is Ashley and get this, she’s a cop.” Katia now almost groaned at her friend’s words. “Okay what’s more safe than a cop’s house huh? Gee, I’m fine, Erin.” She bit her lower lip and held it there until Erin finished her next question. “I don’t know yet, I’m still deciding.” She bobbed her head up and down a few times. “Yes I know, Erin. Just… just keep everything the same, I might show up.” She lowered her head again and stared at her corduroy pants. “Okay yeah, I will, Erin. You take care of yourself.” She smiled sadly. “Thank you… I will, promise. Talk to you soon… bye.” After she heard Erin say goodbye, she hit the end button.

Katia sighed and knew she had one phone call left to go. She could only image what Sara would have to say about this. She knew though whatever it would be, it’d be funny. Katia brought up Sara Davidson’s number and hit the send button. She grinned and she fell back into the bed.

“Hey, Sara!” Katia laughed really loudly. “Yeah I hear yah… its good to get away. I’m so glad you agree.” She chuckled a few times. “No, I don’t think you wanna come.” She sighed and stretched her legs out over top of the blankets. “Yeah I’m in Baltimore right now like on the north side. I’m staying with some chic by the name of Ashley.” She suddenly laughed harder and shook her head. “I don’t know, Sara. She doesn’t look like it not that I can tell.” She shook her head and her grin appeared. “You have the gaydar, Sara… I don’t.” She snorted and rolled her rich sea green eyes. “I’m straight as a line, Sara so get over it.” She listened to Sara whine for a second then Sara suddenly threw another question at her. “She’s a state trooper for Maryland.” She suddenly laughed again. “Yeah… she’s pretty good lookin’ if you’re into women.” She snickered and just rolled her eyes yet again. “I don’t know how old she is… probably in her thirties. And no I’m not getting a picture of her for you.” She narrowed her eyes. “Forget it, Sara.” She then laughed and smiled to herself. “I’ll tell yah all about her later. Right now, I need to get up and get a shower.” Her amused smile softened some. “Yeah, I know… its nothing to worry about. Thank you, Sara. I’ll get things straighten out.” She closed her eyes. “Okay, thanks Sara. I’ll talk to yah soon. Byyye.” She pulled the phone away and snapped it shut, ending the phone call. Katia adored Sara as family and Sara was Katia’s first lesbian encounter.

Katia stared up at the ceiling and tried to force herself to get up and get her shower. She rolled her head to the left and the picture of Ashley and the other woman captured her attention again. “Pretty good lookin’ if you’re into women,” she repeated quietly. “Huh.” She reached over and picked up the photo. She held it over her head and stared at it for several moments. “What do you see in women, Sara?” Her eyes shifted away from Ashley to the other woman. “And who are you to Ashley, lady?” She lifted her right hand and tapped finger at the nameless woman’s face. “You got some kind of shit eattin’ grin on your face too.” Another shiver rippled through her body at staring at this woman’s wild eyes.

Katia forced herself to put the picture back in its home. She finally rolled out of the bed and put her cell phone into her pack. She then opened the main portion of the pack and pulled out several items of clothing. She then gathered her clean clothes for the day and she went out of the bedroom. She had a feeling the door to the right of the bedroom doorway was a bathroom. She pushed open the door some and found a tile floor and sink appeared in the sunlit room. She smiled and opened it more then stepped in only to have her feet get chilled by the cool tiles. She quickly jumped onto the fluffy green rug in the middle of the bathroom and looked at the toilet, which had the lid down and a few items on top of it.

“Huh.” Katia bent forward and with her right hand she lifted up the note that was on the top. She then proceeded to read the note aloud, “Thought you might need these and feel free to use anything in the house. Make yourself comfortable. Ashley.” She smiled at the small print writing. She lowered her eyes back down to the three green towels, which were a regular body towel, hand towel, and wash cloth. “Definitely a nice cop,” she joked. She carefully folded the note and placed it on the sink.

Katia though had brought most of her toiletries, figuring she would need them when she left. She slipped the bag of toiletries out and set it on the sink counter, which was rather large. She then lifted the three towels and put her clothes down instead. She replaced the regular towel down but put the hand towel and washcloth on the sink counter.

Within a few minutes, Katia was in the shower and taking a warm shower that seemed to sooth her body and mind. As she cleaned her body, she began to take note of various bruises and cuts on her body from last night. She hadn’t noticed them last night at all but then again, too much occupied her to let her take notice of them.

After her shower, she dried off and put her clothes on and took some time to brush her teeth, organize her hair, and then went back to the bedroom. She pulled out a clean pair of socks from her pack and then she hunted around for her Sketcher shoes. She finally found them under the chair where her pack had been earlier. She easily slipped her feet back into them and she went back into the bathroom to gather up her items. She also picked up Ashley’s note and instead of tossing it like she had done with past notes in her life, she kept it. Once back in the bedroom, she put her stuff away and slipped Ashley’s note away in her pack and after she zipper it up, her stomach suddenly growled in demand.

“Can’t forget about you,” muttered Katia to her stomach. She went downstairs but not without grabbing her cell phone. When she made it to the bottom of the steps, she realized she wasn’t quite sure which way to go to find the kitchen. She peered to her left and saw a television and large couch. “Not there,” she muttered and turned her head to the right. When she looked that way, she suddenly heard a refrigerator kick on and her face brightened up. “That’ta way.” She laughed and hurried into the kitchen. If it was one thing she loved doing it was feeding her own stomach.

Katia carefully opened the fridge and just stared at all the food within it. “By god… this woman is a food goddess.” Her smile seemed to grow larger and larger as she took in all the food on each shelf in the fridge. “Now this is what I call a stocked fridge.” She laughed and bent forward and started to mill about, not able to control her stomach’s control. “Mmmmm… I think eggs.” She grabbed the carton of eggs. “Some milk.” She pulled out the jug of milk. “Oh fruit.” She was just able to pull out the drawer that was labelled fruit. “Jesus Christ… she’s a fruit.” She laughed happily and spun around. She sprinted over to the kitchen counter and unloaded the milk and eggs. She then hurried back over and picked through all the fruit. “Ooooh kiwi.” She grabbed one of those. “Green apple, perfect.” She took one of them too. “And a nectarine would be good.” She snatched one of those as well. She pushed the drawer shut, backed up, and closed the door with her right foot. She rushed back to the counter and unloaded her arms again. “This is the best.”

Within half an hour, Katia had made herself a nice late breakfast. She sat down at the small kitchen table on the one side of the table and quietly ate her cheese omelette then ate the kiwi and nectarine together. After she cleaned up her mess, she picked up her apple last and grabbed a napkin from the supplies on the table and went into the living room. She thoughtfully munched on the apple while she stood in the doorway of the living room. She shrugged, bit into her apple again, and strolled over to the couch. She flopped down into it and decided to watch tv.

Katia sunk back into the couch and tried to find something interesting on the tv. She eventually settled on the movie Austin Powers II on the Starz channel. She finished her apple, wrapped the core in a napkin, and placed it on the coffee table. She then decided to try the couch out more and actually lay down.

It wasn’t long though before Katia started to feel sleepy again. Near the end of the movie, she drifted off to sleep. She slept rather deeply and for several hours because the only thing that slightly pulled her out of her sleep was the sound of some noise outside that seemed to fade away. She mumbled in her sleep, rolled to her right and now faced the back of the sofa.

Quietly the front door of the house opened and an officer stepped into the house. Ashley pulled her key out of the door and silently closed the door. In the living room, she heard a man yell, “Nice to mole you, I mean meet you!” Ashley snickered at the recognizing the line from a movie. She walked into the living room and stopped in the doorway when she saw the small woman conked out on the sofa.

Ashley shook her head and her eyes shifted to the apple core resting in the napkin. “Hmmm.” She took a few steps closer and picked up the napkin and apple core. She turned around and went into the kitchen to dispose of the apple remnants. After she had, she glanced at the sink and saw the clean dishes sitting in the dry sink. “Musta been a feast,” she muttered, a grin crept along her lips.

She spun around and marched back into the living room. She couldn’t help but smile at Katia’s sleeping habits. She knelt down and reached forward, she gently shook the girl’s shoulders. “Come on, Katia. You’re gonna be up all night.”

“Mmmm… another minute,” muttered a whiney voice.

“Come on,” urged Ashley. She shook the girl a little more, she was trying so hard not to laugh.

Katia swatted at Ashley’s arm but missed yet she didn’t fail to protest again. “Wanna sleep.”

Ashley groaned and shook her head. “Don’t make me handcuff you and drag you off the sofa,” she growled deeply.

Suddenly Katia’s eyes flew open and she half rolled, half tried to get out of the sofa. She basically miscalculated and started to fall out of the sofa.

Ashley moved quickly and caught the younger woman.

Katia gripped the other woman’s body and her panic settled down when she realized Ashley had caught her. “Don’t do that,” she hissed. Ashley lowered her back onto the sofa.

“Well you weren’t getting up.” Ashley had a stoic expression and a raised eyebrow.

Katia looked down at her feet and shifted her shoes off the sofa so that she wouldn’t mess up the sofa with her shoes. She then returned her attention to the officer. “Back already?”

“Back already?” repeated the trooper. She reached over and picked up the alarm clock, she held it up to Katia.

Katia squinted and read the time. “Oh shit, its five o’clock.” She turned her head to the left and looked out the window to see it was pretty much dark. “Oh god.” She started to blush. “I slept almost all day.”

Ashley was shaking her head as she lowered the clock back down. She smiled at the young woman. “You must have been worn out. You look better,” she mentioned.

“Yeah?”

“Mmmm,” agreed the trooper. “A lot.”

“Didn’t think I looked that bad.” Katia gave a teasing grin.

Ashley slowly grinned back and quietly added, “No, you don’t look bad at all.”

Katia’s eyes widened some and a faint blush appeared on her face. She cleared her throat and looked down at the length of her body. She wanted to look at anything but at the officer right now.

“Have you thought anymore about what you wanted to do?” Ashley could tell the change of topic helped the young woman because Katia now looked at her again.

“I’m not sure,” confessed Katia.

Ashley was afraid of that. She reached up and pulled off her grey hat. She lowered it onto the coffee table then stood up some. “Scoot over,” she ordered.

Katia rolled onto her left side but pressed her back against the back of the sofa.

Ashley sat down on the sofa but she twisted her body around some so she could partially face Katia. “How old are you, Katia?”

“Twenty,” quietly answered the young woman.

“What year of college are you in?” further urged the officer.

“This is my second semester,” replied Katia.

Ashley considered that for a little bit, her eyes staring at the wall past Katia’s head. “Look….” Her eyes focused back on the young woman. “I’ll tell you a little something that might help you out.”

Katia was interested, she lifted her head up and placed it on the armrest of the sofa.

“I graduated from high school when I was sixteen… from a private school at that.”

“Really?” whispered the surprised girl, “You finished early?”

“Uh huh.” The trooper could tell the other woman was baffled just as much awed. “After high school, I took some time off and did some travelling before I started college. My folks thought it’d be awkward for me to just jump into college when I was so young.”

“Yeah, I bet,” agreed Katia. “How much travelling did you do?”

“A lot actually,” confessed Ashley. “The first year was in America mainly then I went over to Europe a lot.” She smiled sadly and she laced her hands together in her lap. “At one point, I ended up in Spain and really enjoyed it there. Found a family and stayed with them.”

“You’re good with Spanish?” inquired the college student.

“Muy bien,” joked the officer. “Probably not as good as I use to be though.” She lost her smile and went more serious. “Anyway, I had to come back home and I really did not want to. My parents demanded me to go back to college knowing I needed to go. I guess I was still on a Spain, travelling high and didn’t think my education was all that important.”

“What happened?” whispered Katia.

“Well after many fights with my parents, I finally decided to take control of my own life. I still wanted to travel and the best way I could think of still doing that without any money was by joining the Army.”

“You went into the Army?”

Ashley nodded her head slowly. “I did travel… I was in the Army for several years. After I was released, I applied to be a trooper here in Maryland. I’ve been here ever since and been promoted to First Class Troop but… that’s about it.” She shrugged.

“Wow,” whispered Katia.

“Not really wow,” countered the trooper. “I enjoy being a trooper and I think of all the good I do for people but… I’d rather have gone to college.”

“Why?” Katia shook her head and her eyes dropped to the space between them. “I mean, you can get a job anywhere… money doesn’t matter.”

“No it doesn’t,” agreed Ashley, “until you have bills to pay and your mouth to feed.” She studied the young woman’s softy mossy eyes. “The point I’m trying to make, Katia is that I much rather have a degree right now than be doing this job.”

“What would you have gone into?” quietly asked the Katia.

“I’ve always thought about being a lawyer.” The trooper shrugged and said, “Or maybe something in entertainment, like acting… maybe even modelling.”

Katia grinned at that.

“All I’m saying, Katia is… think before you leap.” Ashley could tell now she was having an influence on the young woman. “Whatever is going on in your life is not worth losing your future to. A degree is four years and that’s it… almost three now for you.”

Katia felt her chest fill with warm air. Her eyes dropped again to the space between them.

Ashley could tell Katia was seriously reconsidering her previous plans now. “One other thing.”

Katia looked back up.

“How old do you think I am?”

Katia shrugged and whispered, “Maybe late twenties to early thirties.” She suddenly became worried when Ashley gave her a huge grin.

“Try twenty-four, Katia.” Ashley patted the girl’s knee beside her then she stood up. On the way up, she grabbed her hat and carried it at her side as she went towards the steps. “I’ll be down soon,” she called then went upstairs.

“Twenty-four?” whispered Katia. “That’s it?” She laughed in surprise and shook her head. “It must be her height.”

Ashley had gone upstairs to change out of her uniform. Once she’d slipped on her blue jeans and a blue button top on, she grabbed her black low cut boots. She sat down on the side of her bed, near the nightstand, and she slipped on her boots. She bent forward and tied them but for some reason, she peered up while she systematically tied her laces. Her eyes rested on the photo of her and Laurel on the nightstand. She sighed and looked down when she finished lacing her boots.

Ashley stood up and in the process, grabbed the photo of her and Laurel. “I wonder what you’re up to, baby.” She tossed the photo in her hand a little then placed it back on the nightstand. She stared at the photo for another second then walked away.

Katia tore her eyes away from the television when she heard a set of heavy feet hit the bottom of the steps. She smiled at Ashley.

The trooper grinned at how the college student just invaded everything like it was hers. She liked that about Katia and only because Katia also respected her stuff. She noticed how Katia had made the bed, cleaned up the dishes, and like right now dangled her feet off the sofa so her shoes wouldn’t scuff up anything.

Katia smiled more when Ashley came into the living room. She still laid on the sofa and now she put her hands under her head.

“Hungry?” asked the cop.

“Yeah, actually.”

Ashley thoughtfully stared at the floor then she peered up. Her grin returned. “I feel like a carnivore.”

Katia suddenly mirrored Ashley’s grin. “Where to then?”

“Let’s do the Outback,” simply stated Ashley.

Katia was up and out of the sofa without a second thought. “I’m there.” She grabbed the remote, clicked the power button, and was off to the door.

Ashley turned around and saw Katia opening the door. “I like her style.” She laughed and followed after the young woman. She went out the open door but closed it behind. She turned around and fished out her house keys and car keys. She used her house key to lock up the front door then she strolled down the patio where she saw Katia standing beside the passenger door.

“Hurry up,” urged the college student. “My stomach is roaring.”

Ashley laughed and clicked the unlock button on her car’s keypad.

The red Mercedes flashed its lights and the locks popped up. Both women jumped into the car and Ashley immediately started the car up. Ashley carefully backed the car out of the driveway and onto the main street. It only took them three minutes to make it to the Outback, it happened to be right off Shawan road. The Outback was just starting to build up a crowd so they had to wait about fifteen minutes before getting a seat. Once they were taken to their spot, they both slid into a booth, facing each other.

“I love this place,” whispered the happy college student.

“They have great steaks,” agreed the trooper.

“Hehehe,” uttered the gleeful Katia. She whipped open her menu and started looking through it. “Oh god, you ever had these coconut shrimp?”

“They’re fat free right?” joked Ashley.

“Yeah… they’re anything you want them to be,” teased back the young woman. She suddenly lowered her menu. “Let’s split it.”

Ashley slightly lowered hers and grinned at Katia. “Four for me and two for you.”

“No, I was thinking more like one for you and five for me,” taunted the hungry girl.

“Yeah, I bet.” Ashley shook her head.

“Good evening, ladies,” greeted the young man. He smiled at them both then his smile grew at Ashley. “Well Officer Carver, its been a few.”

“How are yah, John?” Ashley lowered her menu onto the table.

Katia carefully started to watch the exchange between the server and Ashley.

“Pretty well.” John lowered his writing tablet onto the table. “I haven’t seen you around in awhile.”

“Yeah been pretty busy,” admitted the trooper.

“Get shot at lately?” joked the server.

“Actually,” started Ashley, “just the other week.”

John laughed but more in surprise. “I’ll be damned. Well glad to see you here, miss seeing yah here.”

Ashley smiled warmly at his words. In the corner of her eye, she noted intense green eyes flickering between her and John. “You’ve been well, John?”

“Yeah, real well… college is good. I expect to graduate this semester, finally.”

“Glad to hear it.” Ashley then held a hand out in Katia’s direction and half-looked at her. “John, this my friend Katia.”

“Nice to meet you, Katia.” John held out his hand and pleasantly smiled at the young woman.

“Nice to meet you too.” Katia took the larger hand and briskly shook.

“I didn’t know Officer Carver had any friends outside of the station.”

Katia laughed as she let go of the man’s hand. “Well… I’m a new friend.” She almost glared at Ashley for the smirk she got from Ashley. “We just kinda… bumped into each other.”

“Well I can tell you, Ashley is a great person… a better trooper though.” John suddenly grinned and said, “Just don’t let her catch you speeding.”

“I take it that’s happened to you huh?”

John suddenly laughed and more so at memories “Actually that’s how we met. One day she gave me a speeding ticket and the next night I was serving her dinner.”

Katia laughed hard and shook her head. “Yeah she seems to meet her friends that way.”

Ashley groaned at that and just lifted her menu up.

“It’s alright though, Officer Carver and I worked it out now. I don’t screw up her orders, give her large portions, and she doesn’t give me tickets. Right, Ashley?”

“Yeah sure, John,” humoured the trooper.

Katia chuckled at that and smiled. “I can sympathize with yah, John.”

“Look anyway, I better get your orders instead of letting everybody think I just socialize.”

Ashley grunted and dropped her menu again. “Nothing new there.” She grinned at the young man then said, “Katia wants to split an order of the shrimp.”

“Got it. Anything to drink?”

“Sweet ice tea,” replied Ashley. She then nodded at Katia.

“Lemonade works for me,” ordered Katia.

John straightened up after writing the items down. “Alright I’ll be back for the rest.” He headed off.

After he was out of earshot, Katia laughed and asked, “You really gave him a speeding ticket?”

“Yyyeah, of course.” Ashley huffed and folded up her menu. “He was doing sixty in a thirty.”

“Gee that bad?”

The trooper grinned. “Yeah, that bad.”

“Huh.” Katia took one last look at the menu and decided on her meal. She folded up the menu as well but she stared at it.

“You thought anymore about your plans?” inquired the officer.

“I’m not sure,” admitted Katia. She peered up and studied her new friend for a bit. “I just….” She shook her head and looked back down. “I don’t know.”

“I’ll admit, I don’t know what’s going on, Katia. I just happened to show up right in the nick of time last night.”

Katia huffed and shook her head some. “Like it was fate,” she muttered.

“Maybe,” agreed the cop. “In either case, I just hope you make the best decision.”

“I know,” whispered the young woman. “Just so many things have happened… stuff I don’t want to even deal with right now.” Slowly, Katia lifted her eyes up to Ashley.

For the first time, Ashley could look into Katia’s soft emerald eyes and see just how troubled the young woman was right now.

“If one more bad thing happens, I swear I’ll just… just go insane. I can take a lot but….” Katia sighed and lost her words in the air and her thoughts and fears raged again.

Ashley just studied her friend. She tried to read all the emotions locked in Katia’s darkening moss eyes. She wondered what stirred so much in her friend and scared her so badly. Ashley hardly ever faced fear in her life anymore, too well trained to resist it yet here she saw so much of it just in Katia’s eyes.

“I just feel so… alone anymore,” whispered Katia. Her head lifted and her eyes met with Ashley’s.

Ashley sighed and quietly said, “I know.” She paused and tried to find the right words to say not that she was ever the best with them, especially emotional ones. “I am here for you, Katia. I know that’s not much but… I am here to help.” Her words seemed to bring a smile to Katia’s face that was a mix of happy and sad.

“Thank you,” whispered Katia, her voice full of emotions.

Ashley was worried at that point Katia would begin to cry. She hastily thought of something to try and calm her or relax her. “And I don’t mean just as a cop.”

Katia laughed some and her head bobbed a few times. “I know.”

Ashley softly smiled but her trance with Katia was broken when John appeared with their drinks and the shrimp.

“Sorry I’m late on the drinks,” announced the server. He dropped them off in front of the two women then placed the shrimp between them. Last, he placed two small plates down in front of each of them after they moved their menus. “You decide on your meals?”

“Yeah,” replied Ashley but she gave a question look to Katia.

The college student looked up at John and said, “That swordfish special ya’ll have sounds good to me. Saw that up on the board.”

“Oh yeah, I hear its real good,” agreed John. He wrote the order down, took her menu, then looked at Ashley.

Ashley held up the menu and said, “You know what I like, John.”

The server laughed, took the menu, and said, “Prime rib… still medium?”

“Yup,” replied the officer.

John wrote it down while walking away.

Ashley saw that Katia was busy drinking her lemonade. She decided to take a drink from her own mug. She lifted her head up, her lips coming off the straw, and she brought up her right hand. She swirled the tea around with the straw.

Katia pushed her mug back some and sat back into her seat.

“I don’t have to work until tomorrow night,” mentioned Ashley.

“Late shift huh?”

“Pretty much,” agreed Ashley. “So if you need anything… taken care of tomorrow, just say so.”

Katia faintly nodded. “Thanks.” She sighed and folded her arms in her lap. “You know, I’m still tired.”

“You look it,” agreed the officer. She was studying the shrimp and finally decided on one, she snatched one up.

“Mmmm.” Katia furrowed her eyebrows as she realized she left her cell phone in Ashley’s kitchen. “Damn,” she muttered.

“What?”

The young woman shook her head. “Remind me to grab my cell phone from your kitchen.” She sat forward and pulled the mug back closer to herself.

“Call anybody today?”

“Yeah a few of my friends from college,” mentioned Katia. “Including my roommate.”

Ashley nodded a few times. “Good. What about family?”

Katia faintly huffed and shook her head. She didn’t reply right away since she was taking a sip of her drink. Once she swallowed, she looked up from her drink. “They wouldn’t even notice.” She finally reached forward and took a coconut shrimp.

“I doubt it,” countered the cop.

“You don’t know my family,” reminded the college student. “They have busy lives… which don’t include me.”

Ashley let out a deep sigh and she folded her arms on the edge of the table.

“What about you?” asked Katia.

“What about me?” urged the trooper.

“What about family?” Katia raised an eyebrow. “You have family, right?”

Ashley mocked the raised eyebrow. “Yeah… two brothers and my folks.”

“Oh two brothers?” asked the curious girl. “How old are they?”

Ashley suddenly laughed at her friend’s interest in her brothers. “Ones younger than me, Lucus is his name.”

“How younger, like twenty younger?” urged Katia, a grin on her lips.

The trooper faintly grinned but she lowered her eyes and replied, “Actually yes. My older brother, Thomas, he’s the married man… has a couple of kids.” She grabbed another shrimp and took a bite from it.

“Ooooh so you’re an aunt and you’re the middle child too.”

“Yeah, afraid so.”

Katia finished off her shrimp and put the tail down onto her plate. She carefully glanced over the remaining ones and picked up one. “So that makes you the best part, right?”

Ashley looked up after she put her shrimp tail down on her plate. “Best part?”

“Yeah… you’re the crème in the middle of the Oreo… that type of best part.” Katia gave a warm smile.

The trooper chuckled and reached forward, she didn’t quite grab her last shrimp but did say, “I guess that’s one way to look at it.”

“Mmmm… I like the middle,” muttered Katia. She snitched the two remaining shrimp before Ashley got one.

“Hey,” protested Ashley. “Give that back.”

“Now Officer Carver, what’s the polite way to ask?” taunted the young woman.

“Give me the damn shrimp or I’ll arrest you for stealing,” growled the trooper.

Katia blinked but slowly a grin creased her lips. “Oh right.” She suddenly went serious and said in a deep tone, “Ashley, what the Hell did you book her for? Stealing my shrimp, sir.” She rolled her eyes. “Get real, Carver. You’re gonna have to give me somethin’ for this here shrimp.” She held up one of them by its tail, she waved it back and forth in front of Ashley’s face.

Ashley’s eyes suddenly darkened and her grin appeared on her lips.

Katia though quickly noticed Ashley’s grin wasn’t a typical one but it was a rather vicious one.

“Give me my shrimp, Katia,” whispered Ashley in a growling tone, “or you’re going to have a really hard time sleeping tonight, I promise.”

“What you gonna do?” asked the curious student.

Ashley licked her lips, she said nothing but her dark eyes started to glint.

Katia suddenly shivered since her imagination just reeled with so many possibilities. “Okay… you win.” She held the shrimp out like a peace offering. “I’m not going to mess with that.”

Ashley happily plucked the shrimp free.

Katia huffed and took her one. She thoughtfully munched on it as she tried to think of what Ashley would have done tonight. She peered up and asked, “What would you have done?”

Ashley smirked and said, “I forget.”

“Smartass,” muttered the young woman. She heard her friend snicker in response, which only made Katia roll her eyes.

After they each finished off their appetizer, they soon found John showing up with their entrees. He placed them down and took away the plates. The two women went right into their entrees and ate in mutual silence. After the meal, John asked if they wanted desserts but both of them were too full to do that. So he brought the check and Ashley jumped on it before Katia. Ashley took care of the bill and after she got her credit card back and wrote the numbers down, she got up with her friend. Slowly, Ashley and Katia strolled out of the restaurant and into the parking lot.

“Thanks for dinner, Ashley but you shouldn’t have paid for it.”

“It was my pleasure,” stated the trooper. She saw her car just ahead and she slipped out her key. “Just glad you ate.”

“What’s that mean?” asked the confused young woman. She walked around to the passenger side.

Ashley opened the driver’s door after pushing the unlock button. “You don’t look like you eat much, Katia.” She didn’t say anything else and got into her seat.

Katia furrowed her eyebrows and looked down at her stomach. “I’m big as a house,” she muttered. She realized her passenger window was going down and she poked in her head. “I’m not that skinny,” she protested.

Ashley rolled her eyes. “Get in,” she ordered in a deep tone.

Katia had a silly grin but pulled her head back out and opened the door. She fell into the seat and slammed the door.

“Easy,” growled the trooper. “This is a Mercedes,” she reminded.

Katia smirked and opened the car door. “Okay… let me try it again.” She slowly and carefully shut the door.

“Thank you,” taunted the officer. She buckled herself then said, “Seat belt.”

“Right… forgot you’re a cop,” grumbled the young woman. She reached around and pulled the seat belt down.

Ashley was grinning and shook her head. She started her car and backed out. Drove around Hunt Valley Mall where the Outback was situated. She went around the back way, past the Wal-mart parking, and down the mall drive onto York road. She didn’t have to drive far before she was back in the housing complex. As she neared her home, she reached up to her sun visor and pressed a button on the visor. When they arrived in Ashley’s driveway, the garage door was already open.

“How’d you do that?” asked Katia.

Ashley pointed at her sun visor.

Katia stretched over almost to the point of having her head in Ashley’s lap. She peered up and saw the three black buttons in the sun visor. “Oh cool.” She stretched her hand up and pointed at each button. “Your Maine house, your Maryland house, and your Florida house.”

Ashley cracked up laughed as she drove her car right into the garage. “I wish, Katia.”

Katia sat up and grinned. She noticed how when the car entered the garage and automatic light in the garage kicked on for them. “You have such a setup, Ashley.”

“Its great,” agreed the trooper. She turned off her car and got out. She’d hit the same button on her visor earlier and the garage door was busy rolling back down. She directed her friend to the door off to the right and she walked to it with Katia, she pushed her lock button on her keypad.

The Mercedes flashed its lights in a seeming goodnight gesture but its parking lights were still on to light their way. And once they stepped through the door, the parking lights dimmed out.

“I was wondering where that door led too,” whispered Katia. She stood next to the kitchen table with her hands on her hips in mock approval.

Ashley grinned and reached onto the kitchen table. “Don’t forget that.” She put the cell phone in her friend’s hand.

“Oh thanks.” Katia finally started to move for the main entrance room. “What now? I’m not ready for bed yet.”

“Figured.” Ashley grasped the smaller woman’s shoulders and pushed her towards the living. “Can zone out with the tv.”

“Sounds good,” agreed Katia. “Let’s watch the Discovery channel and entertain our brains.” She hastily moved to the sofa and fell into it.

Ashley laughed and walked over. She sat down near her friend and grabbed the remote. “Whatever you want.” She handed it over to the smaller woman.

“Wait, you have Court TV?” asked the excited college student.

Ashley simply arched an eyebrow.

“Seriously. I bet you’ll be on that station.”

“What?” asked the confused trooper.

“Oh come on.” Katia flicked the television on and flipped through the channels. “I wouldn’t think you’d be on the FBI Files since you’re not an FBI agent.”

The officer grunted. “I hope I never am,” she grumbled.

“Well… you could be Judge Judy’s guard,” persisted Katia.

“Katia,” growled the trooper. “Watch the tv and be quiet.” She sat back into the sofa and stretched her long legs out and underneath the coffee table.

“No fun,” teased the young woman. She continued to flip through channels but as she did so, she sat back next to her friend and got comfortable. “How about….” She finally stopped all the rapid flicking and came to the Starz channel again. “Oooh its Gladiator.”

“Keep it there,” ordered the officer. She reached over and took the remote before Katia changed her mind.

Katia chuckled and just settled in to watch the movie. They were close to the beginning of the movie and they remained comfortable beside each other. But after about twenty minutes of non-conversation, it was suddenly broken.

“Russel Crowe is great in this movie but after this one, he sucks,” complained Katia.

Ashley groaned and rather loudly to emphasis her annoyance. “Be quiet.”

Katia glared at her friend but she only got a grin in return. She huffed and continued to quietly watch the movie. After about another twenty minutes, she started to feel pretty tired so her head started falling to the right.

Ashley sensed a weight on her left shoulder. She knew it was Katia’s head. “Whatever you do,” she whispered, “don’t drool on my shirt.” She heard a small laugh in her left ear.

“I don’t drool,” quietly stated the college student.

“That’s not what my passenger car window shows,” muttered the trooper. “I got a drool mark about this size on my window.” She held up both her hands and demonstrated how large the drool mark was on her window.

“Whatever.” Katia lifted her head and stretched her hands out. She covered her hands over Ashley’s as best as possible, and squeezed the large hands together until there was no open space between the large hands. “That’s how big… none.”

“Sure, sure.” Ashley grinned and lowered both of their hands down.

Katia put her hands back into her lap and lowered her head back onto Ashley’s shoulder. “Wake me at the end,” she muttered.

The trooper smirked to herself and quietly watched the movie but quietly only lasted so long. Eventually her left ear could only hear the light snores from Katia. “You got to be joking,” she complained and she dropped her head against the sofa. “I’m so glad Laurel doesn’t snore,” she whispered to herself but yet she looked down at Katia’s head against the side of her shoulder and she couldn’t help but smile.

“Time to put her to bed.” Ashley reached up and carefully moved Katia’s head off her shoulder and shifted her head against the back of the sofa. She then slid out of the sofa, turned around, and bent forward to pick up Katia. “Deja-vu,” muttered Ashley under her breath. She straightened up with the small woman in her arms. She started for the stairs.

Katia started to wake up after Ashley went up one step. “Mmmm… not again.” She lifted her head off Ashley’s shoulder.

“Its okay,” assured Ashley.

Katia gently lowered her head back on her friend’s shoulder. “Ashley?”

“Mmmm?” Ashley was about halfway up the stairs.

“I think you’re right.”

“What’s that?” The trooper came to the top of the steps almost.

“About school and all.” Katia opened her eyes slowly.

Ashley sighed as she turned to her right for the bedroom. “It’s really up to you, Katia.”

Katia pressed her lips together but she didn’t say anything. She turned some and stretched her arm out to push open the bedroom door.

“Thanks,” whispered the officer. She came over to the foot of the bed and lowered to young woman.

Katia sat there on the foot of the bed and looked up when her friend towered over her. “I think you like doing that.”

“Doing what?” Ashley had turned the light on and now stood with her hands on her hips.

“Carrying me,” teased the younger woman.

Ashley huffed and walked away. She went to her dresser.

Katia sighed and went over to her bag to pull out her one set of pajamas. She bundled them all up in her arms and went into the bathroom next door.

Ashley had watched her leave and she took the time to get changed as well. She finished the same time that Katia had and she was about to head out of the bedroom for the night.

“Wait, you’re not going to sleep down on the couch again, are you?” Katia was putting her clothes away and her cell phone.

“Yes.” Ashley grabbed the outside door handle but was facing her friend.

“Sleep in your own bed. I’ll sleep down there.”

“Its okay,” protested Ashley. “I’m use to sleeping on it.”

“I can sleep on it too,” reminded the college student.

“No,” simply stated the officer. She started to turn away.

“Argh.” Katia folded her arms over her chest and said, “I’ll just sleep on the floor to urk you.”

Ashley stopped closing the door and her shoulders dropped. She looked back at her friend. “Don’t be stubborn, Katia. This is my house… not a Republic.”

Katia corked an eyebrow and rocked on the bottom of her feet.

The state trooper sighed dramatically. “Fine… we’ll both sleep in the bed.”

Katia opened her mouth, she hadn’t expected a compromise and she didn’t expect that for a compromise. She closed her mouth then weakly said, “Fine… okay.”

“Fine,” agreed the officer. She came back into the room. “Ready now to sleep?”

“Uh… yeah.” The hesitant Katia stared at the bed but then climbed into it.

Ashley smirked out Katia’s initial reaction but she reached over and flicked the lights out. She walked around to the other side of the bed and crawled into it. “Just don’t steal the sheets, Katia. I hate that.” Right after she said that, Katia jerked all the bed sheets to her side. “I’m starting to hate you,” whispered the cop in a low, menacing voice.

“Oooooh was that a tone or what,” taunted the young woman. She threw the bed sheets back over. “You’re welcome.”

Ashley grunted and adjusted the sheets. She snuggled in and rolled to her left side, her back to Katia.

The college student mimicked Ashley’s movements but moved onto her left side so her back faced Ashley's back. She closed her eyes but only for a few seconds until she opened them again and found herself starting at that photo again.

“Ashley?”

Ashley’s blue eyes slowly drifted open. “Yes, Katia?”

“I was just curious about something.”

“Yes, Katia. What is it?”

Katia grinned some but lost it as her eyes flickered from Ashley’s face in the photo the stranger’s. “Who’s this woman in the picture with you?”

Ashley chewed on her lower lip as she debated how to handle that question. After too long of a pause, she finally answered, “A close friend of mine… she’s family.” She almost sarcastically laughed at her own double meaning.

Katia blinked but stared closer at the woman. “What’s her name?”

“Laurel,” simply responded Ashley.

Katia finally had a name for the face and it was a face she couldn’t forget and now the name stuck to her like crazy glue. “She looks… well energetic.”

Ashley almost laughed at how many ways she could have taken that comment. “You could say that, Katia.”

“Hmmmm.” The young woman closed her eyes and almost drift to sleep but yet, she opened her eyes again and stared just at Ashley in the picture. “Ashley?”

“Yes, Katia?”

Katia grinned out her friend’s annoyed yet also patient tone. “You don’t have to work until tomorrow night?”

“Yes… and?”

Katia kept staring at the photo of Ashley and Laurel that she could just make out in the darkness. She felt like she was speaking to the picture of Ashley much less Ashley herself. “You think you’ll have time to… drive me back to my college?”

Ever so slowly a smile grew on Ashley’s face. “I have all the time in the world, Katia.”

Once again, Katia closed her eyes and something seemed to ease in her. “Thank you.”

“Anytime,” whispered the state trooper, “Goodnight.”

“Sleep well, Ashley.”

“You too, Katia.”

And it was actually a night Katia did sleep well instead of her usual nightmares that woke her up. Ashley also slept better in her own bed instead of down on the sofa. It was a good night’s rest for them both.

***

Katia closed her eyes and dropped her head against the headrest on her seat. She smiled at feeling the cool breeze from the partially opened window.

Ashley glanced over at her friend then focused on her driving again. She’d been driving Katia for the past hour and she was currently on Route 50-Route 301 headed east towards the Eastern Shore.

“I like this music,” mentioned Katia.

The officer smiled at her friend’s comment.

“Its different. Its dance?” she asked and opened her sea green eyes.

“I call it techno or electronic,” replied Ashley.

Katia nodded and looked at her friend. “Who’s the group?”

“Lasgo.”

“Can I turn it up?”

Ashley chuckled but nodded her head. “Go for it.”

Katia loved to have good music turned up nice and loud to the point she could feel it. She reached forward and turned the volume up and up but she hesitated some. She was worried she’d blow the speakers.

Ashley sighed but grinned as she reached forward and grasped Katia’s hand. “It’s a Mercedes,” she reminded and she started to turn Katia’s hand to the right more.

The college student laughed as the music went louder and the bass started to vibrate through the car. She could feel the music through her entire body now. She pulled her hand away and Ashley released her hand as well. A few times Katia bobbed her head with the beat of the music.

Ashley was grinning happily. The beat of the music and the loudness captured her and she started to speed up, passing by the cars in the right lanes.

Katia began to really get into the music. She closed her eyes and started singing the words as well. “Don’t be afraid… there’s no need to worry.” She paused and bobbed her head with the beat then sung again. “Because my feelings for you are still strong… hold me in your arms… and never let me go… hold me in your arms because I need you so. I can see it in your eyes there is something, something you wanna tell me… I see it in your eyes, there is something you hide for me.” She stopped and just listened to the lyrics now.

Ashley grinned and sped past several more cars then slowed down and switched into the middle lane. She tapped her left foot to the fast beat. Then the lyrics started again and she heard Katia begin to sing and this time, she joined her. “Hold me in your arms… and never let me go, hold me in your arms because I need you so. I can see it in your eyes, there is something, something you wanna tell me.” She went silent and listened to the lyrics and Katia singing with it.

Ashley soon realized they’d just passed through Annapolis Maryland and were approaching the Bay Bridge. She saw the toll just ahead so she slowed down.

Katia also realized it too and she reached forward to turn the music down.

Ashley got into a toll line and she opened her ashtray. The tray lowered and she pulled out the money in change for the toll. Once she got the toll window, she handed over the money and gave a wicked grin at the toll person since they had to deal with all that change.

“Gee thanks, ma’am,” joked the young man.

“No problem.” Ashley lifted her sunglasses and winked at him. “Have a good one.” She dropped her sunglasses back down and heard him say bye. She sped off for the bridge.

Katia snickered and grabbed the volume nob but said, “You’re terrible.” She just got a smirk for a response from Ashley. She shook her head and turned the music back up.

Ashley made it across the bridge and onto the Eastern Shore of Maryland and the first area of the Eastern Shore was Kent Island. She went flew down the highway, heading for the split between Route 301 and Route 50, she knew she needed to take Route 50 since it was the byway to the southern shores of Maryland.

Within about another hour, they started to come closer to Salisbury. Ashley turned the music down, knowing she would need Katia’s help at this point. “Where to once we get into Salisbury?”

Katia shook the music trance away and tried to quickly recall the directions. “We connect with Route 13 south.”

“Alright.” Ashley then just saw the sign for Route 13 ten miles away. And when those ten miles were up, she crossed over onto Route 13 south as Katia told her. “Next?”

“Stay here in the right lane. A mile or two down the highway, you’ll see a street called West College Avenue.”

“Hang a right onto it?” asked the trooper.

“Yeah,” replied Katia.

Ashley did what Katia told her when she West College Avenue came up. She turned onto it and slowed down to a legal speed. “What next?”

“Go to the left onto Camden… its right up here.”

Ashley saw the avenue just ahead and made the left at the intersection. She slowed down a little more knowing they were now just driving around the campus.

“Okay up here after these three buildings, go to the left and that little road takes us into the parking lot.”

“Gotcha.” Ashley saw the parking lot entrance and turned into it.

“I live in that dorm.” Katia pointed at it.

Ashley briefly glanced at and noted it was the closest to the parking lot.

“Oh wait, can you stop here. That’s my car.”

Ashley came to a quick stop behind several parked cars.

“I gotta get something.” Katia opened the door, which unlocked all the doors automatically. She was pulling a set of keys from her right pocket while walking around the front of Ashley’s car.

Ashley intently watched as Katia opened her Mercedes and leaned into it. She then watched as Katia came back out, carrying something in her left hand while her right hand ran down the side of the older champagne Mercedes. The item in Katia’s hand though disappeared into her front pocket with her car keys. Ashley looked at her friend when she got back into the car. “So explain to me why you ran away and didn’t take your car?”

The college student laughed and said, “How’d I know you’d ask that?” She buckled her seat belt as Ashley drove around the parking lot to get to the other side. “Because she’s low on fuel, I have no money, and people could have tracked me easy with my tag numbers and that car. You don’t runaway to be found again.”

Ashley smirked and teased, “Looks like you missed that part by a long shot.”

“Very funny,” grumbled Katia. She then saw the front of her dorm and the car came to a stop. She chewed on her lower lip and stared at the dorm.

Ashley grasped the young woman’s left leg. “You’ll be fine,” she promised.

“Yeah I know.” Katia tried to smile some. “I have to admit, it was nice staying with yah.”

“It was nice to have company… even if it was unexpected.”

Katia laughed and she sensed her leg cooling off when Ashley pulled her hand away from her leg. “Thanks for everything, Ashley.”

“Anytime,” promised the officer. “That’s what I’m here for… to serve and protect, ma’am.”

Katia just rolled her eyes so dramatically. “Yeah right.” She went serious however and smiled at her friend. “Seriously though, thank you… you know for saving me.”

“You’re welcome, Katia.” Ashley nodded then glanced at Katia’s dorm then looked back at her. “You can repay me by getting your diploma huh?”

Katia swallowed but gradually nodded. “I will,” she promised. She then reached over and opened the door. She got out.

Ashley wasn’t about to leave it there. She parked the car, reached into her door’s side pocket and grabbed something. She then got out as well. She saw Katia was getting her pack out of the back of the car so she said, “You forgot one thing.”

Katia looked up after she shut the door. “What’s that?”

Ashley grinned and lowered her head so she could look over the rims of sunglasses. “Something you’ll enjoy.” She lifted the item in her left hand.

Katia laughed after she read the title on the cd case. “Ashley, that’s yours.”

“And you can burrow it.” Ashley came around to the trunk of her car. She opened the trunk and shifted to the right side where her six-cd changer was located.

The college student slung her pack on and came over to her friend.

Ashley was pulling out the cd case and pulling out the Lasgo cd. She opened the empty cd case, put the cd in, and inserted the six-cd case back into the changer. “Enjoy it.” She held out the cd case.

Katia smiled and took it even though she felt guilty. “Thank you.”

Ashley smiled and lifted her sunglasses to place them over her head. “You still have my card, right?” While she waited for an answer, she shut the trunk.

“Yeah, yeah.” Katia could really admire her friend’s blue eyes now in the bright sunlight. “I didn’t give you my cell phone, did I?” she laughed with an embarrassed tone.

“Nope,” agreed the state trooper.

“Well its-”

“Wait,” cut off Ashley. “Let me get my cell phone.” She went back to her driver’s door and opened it. She plucked her small Samsung cell phone from the centre console and came back around. She was already starting to punch in things. “What is it?”

“Its 410… 810… 3310.”

Ashley had the number in then started to put in Katia’s name. A grin appeared in her expression and she peered up at her friend. “Its Katia what?”

Katia’s face broke out in a deep crimson blush as she realized she hadn’t told Ashley her last name. “I’m sorry… its Danforth.”

“Its okay.” Ashley put in Katia’s last name then pressed the okay button. After she had it in, she flipped the phone shut and lowered it to her side, still in her hand. “Look Katia, if you need anything just call me okay? I’m serious.”

Katia smiled and nodded. “Thank you.”

“Call me anytime, I don’t care.” Ashley bent her right knee some and shifted her weight to her left foot. “If you want to come over to my place again for some time away, that works. Just let me know and I can pick you up or you can drive over.”

“Thank you, Ashley.”

Ashley could tell Katia wanted to say more and she didn’t want to push the young woman into anything. “Like I said, just call if you need to talk.”

This time, Katia couldn’t repeat the thank you and she did the next best thing. She stepped forward and pulled Ashley into a hug.

Ashley smiled warmly and hugged the smaller woman tightly. She realized just how hard Katia was hugging her and she became a little worried but before she could anything more, Katia pulled away.

“Thank you for everything, Ashley.”

“You’re welcome.” Ashley smiled and knew she needed to push Katia off before she changed her mind. “Go on.” She shifted her smile into a warmer one then forced herself to her car door.

Katia now also forced herself to walk away and towards her dorm. “See yah, Ashley.”

“Bye, Katia.” Ashley gave a brief wave then climbed into her car. She buckled herself in and without another look, she put her car into gear and drove off.

Katia kept watching until she couldn’t see Ashley’s deep red Mercedes in the crowd of cars. She sighed and turned her head around as she continued to her dorm. She looked down in her right hand and stared at Ashley’s cd she let her burrow. “That’s one way to make me see you again,” she muttered then lowered her hand with the cd.

“Katia!” suddenly yelled a woman’s.

The young woman looked up when she saw Erin come racing from the dorm to her.

“Oh my god, I’m so glad you made it back.” Erin didn’t hesitate to pull her friend into a long, hard hug. “The cluster has been murder without you.”

Katia laughed while she hugged her roommate.

Erin pulled away from the hug and led her friend into the Severn dorm. “I was starting to worry you wouldn’t come back,” she whispered.

Katia shook her head and gave a half smile. “Nah… somebody persuaded me otherwise.”

“Oh yeah, that mystery cop. Where is she?”

“She just left actually,” replied Katia.

“What? And you didn’t let me meet her?” Erin gave a dramatic sigh. “I wanted to know your saviour, Katia. You better introduce me next time.”

Katia smirked and said, “Maybe.”

“Come on, girl.” Erin opened the door and let her friend in first. “Mike has been going out of his mind without you.”

“Ain’t he always? He couldn’t live without me,” Katia joked. She went to the stairs to go up two levels to their hall. When she made it to the top of the steps with Erin, the door bursted open and Sara stood here in all her glory.

“I saw her!” yelled Sara, “from the window. That is one fuckin’ hot cop, Katia. You know how to pick ‘em.”

“Sara!” yelled back Katia.

Sara laughed loudly and jumped to hug her friend.

Katia smiled happily as it felt so good to see her friends again. “Miss me, Sara?”

“I was about to ask you the same thing,” tormented Sara. “Of course I did.” She released her friend and backed up but not without holding the door open. “This way, ladies.”

Erin rolled her eyes and pushed Katia into the hallway.

“Mike is waiting for you,” called Sara before she stepped into the hall.

“Oh joy,” muttered Katia.

Katia went first into her bedroom and there on her bed sat Mike. “Oh god,” she groaned extremely loud.

“Okay so the runway decided to come back huh?” Mike jumped up from the bed. “What? We’re not good enough for you?”

“That’s it, Mike,” teased Katia. She dropped her pack near her desk and came over to the taller man.

“Yeah right.” Mike smiled happily and hugged his closest friend. “Don’t do that again,” he whispered in her ear. He then kissed the side of her head then stepped back.

Erin leaved over and whispered to Sara, “I swear he’s in love with her.”

“Yeah but Katia is gay,” muttered Sara.

“I heard that,” growled Katia. “I told you, Sara… I’m straight-”

“Oh no!” cut off Sara. She stepped forward and pointed a finger at Katia. “Now I know that long ass hug with that cop chic wasn’t over that damn cd.” She lowered her finger to the cd in Katia’s hand.

Katia glanced at it then back at Sara. “Whatever.” She spun around and put the cd down carefully on her desk.

Sara snickered and said, “My point has been made.” She threw up her arms.

“Get over yourself, Sara.” Erin pushed her friend out of the way and went to sit on her bed. “You just want Katia and you’re sore she isn’t gay so you can jump her.”

“Who says I can’t jump her?” Sara held up her hands and stepped closer to Katia.

Katia had spun around already, her hands up too, and a silly grin on her face. “Don’t mess with me, Sara. I got a cop backing me up.”

“Oh I bet she’d back up you, honey,” taunted Mike from in the corner.

Sara laughed hysterically. “Hell! That chic, what’s her name? Ashley right?” She stopped laughing just enough to say, “Ashley probably would love to jump Katia.”

“Sara!” hotly yelled Katia. “She’s not like… that!” she roared. She stomped off but her face held a grin.

“Yeah I hear yah, Katia but I don’t believe yah.” Sara smirked and sat down beside Erin on the bed.

Katia sat down on her bed and pulled Mike down beside her. “So exactly how long were you at that window, Sara?”

“Hey it wasn’t just me.” Sara pointed to Mike and Erin.

Katia glared now at all three of them. “You three are so goddamn… nosey!”

“Yeah, you tell ‘em, Katia,” applauded Sara.

“And you,” yelled Katia, her finger pointed at Sara. “Get back in your closet!”

Mike and Erin suddenly bursted out laughing together between Katia’s joke and Sara’s slack jawed expression. The group of friends continued to talk through the rest of the afternoon until it was near dinnertime. Katia explained most of what happened but kind of glazed over how she first met Ashley, not wanting them to know about the man that almost raped her. But after their dinner at the dinning hall, they each went back to their rooms to do whatever. Katia though had to do her homework since she was so far behind.

As she sat down at her desk, she stared at her cell phone resting in the corner. She sighed and felt so tempted to call up Ashley but knew she needed to get her work finished. Yet she also wanted to know Ashley got home safe but then she realized Ashley was probably at work by now. She then thought of another way to get in touch with her friend.

Katia grabbed her cell phone and flipped it open. She went to her text message area and quickly punched in a message to Ashley and sent it. She then closed her cell phone and placed it back in its spot. She tried to go back to her Calculus homework in front of her but she kept looking at her cell phone.

The cell phone’s ringer was off but the front LCD display suddenly lit up in various colors, indicating a message arrived. Katia snatched her phone and opened it; her smile grew as she read Ashley’s reply. She had a silly grin as she replied and simply punched in, ‘Be careful at work. And thanks again.’ then she sent the message. After that, she didn’t hear anything from Ashley because she knew she was probably pretty busy.

***

Ashley just finished her shift and it was a little after midnight. She ducked into the Lieutenant’s office after being permitted in the office.

“What can I do for you, Ashley?” Lieutenant Grissom looked up from his paper work and smiled at the young woman. “Sit down first.”

“Thank you, sir.” Ashley took her hat off and sat down in the wood chair. Once she was comfortable, she asked, “How’s your evening, sir? You’re working late.”

“I am and I should be home soon instead of here,” agreed the commander. He folded his hands over top of his paperwork then asked, “What you need, Ashley? You never come in my office so I’m kinda curious.”

“Sorry, sir.” Ashley faintly smiled and sat back into her chair. “I wanted to request a transfer.”

“A transfer?” The commander shook his head. “Ashley, you’re my best trooper.”

“Yes, I know, sir.”

“Where would you like to transfer to?”

Ashley licked her lips then replied, “Barrack E, sir.”

“Salisbury, really?” Lieutenant Grissom sat back into his chair. “What’s on the Eastern Shore?”

“New atmosphere, sir,” replied the trooper. “I’m worn out with the city life.”

“Salisbury is not much better, Ashley. They have a lot of trouble with drugs unfortunately.”

“Yes, sir I’ve heard of it.”

Lieutenant Grissom considered Ashley for a few quiet moments then he sat forward again. “You know, Ashley… you’re due up for a promotion.”

Ashley sighed and nodded. “I’ve heard that too, sir.”

“You know I’ve got Detective Burns out there getting ready to transfer too. He’s headed far out west and I need somebody to take his position, Ashley.”

The trooper’s expression went a little confused but then it dawned on her.

“Ashley, you’d make a great detective.”

“I’m not sure I’m quite qualified for that, sir,” protested Ashley.

The commander shook his head and said, “You’re very qualified, Ashley but I cannot make you my Detective Sergeant if you go racing off to Salisbury.”

“I know, sir.” Ashley lowered her eyes and stared at her hat. She wasn’t sure what to do now.

“The other thing too, Ashley is I have Sergeant Hagger breathing down my neck to take Detective Burn’s spot. Hagger is good but… he’s got nothing on you, Ashley.” The Lieutenant could tell his officer was struggling with her decision. Slowly though, blue eyes lifted up to him.

“Isn’t Hagger due to retire in four to six years, sir?”

“Yes of course,” replied Lieutenant Grissom. “Why?”

“Sir, it’s just… I’m not ready for all that extra paperwork,” explained the officer, “I wouldn’t mind a few more years out on patrol.”

The commander sighed and leaned back into his seat. “Is that what you really want, Ashley?”

“Yes, sir. I mean, if that is okay by you, sir.” Ashley sat up in her chair. “I’d like to transfer to Barrack E… give me a few more years, sir then I think I’ll be ready to step up to Detective.”

“By that time, Hagger will be retired,” whispered the commander. He stared at all the paper work on his des then he looked up at his state trooper. “Are you sure, Ashley?”

“Yes, sir,” persisted the officer. Her eyes held her conviction in them.

“I don’t know what’s over there, Ashley but I’ll get in touch with Captain Smith at the Salisbury Barracks.”

Ashley suddenly smiled and stood up with her hat. She held out her right hand.

The commander hastily stood up and took the woman’s larger hand.

“Thank you, Lieutenant.”

“Thank you, Ashley.” He released her hand and watched her go to his office door. “Oh, Officer Carver?”

Ashley stopped and looked back. “Sir?”

“I’m going to at least promote you to Sergeant if not First Sergeant.”

The trooper suddenly smiled even brighter. “Thank you so much, sir.”

“Don’t thank me, you’ve earned it, Ashley.” The commander smiled warmly.

Ashley couldn’t help her smile as she put her hat back on again. “Have a good evening, Lieutenant Grissom.”

“You too, Sergeant Carver.”

The trooper walked out and decided she liked the ring of that. She closed the door quietly and all her nervousness just spilled out and she began to relax finally. She now needed to get home and tomorrow was her day off, a good day to work on finding a place in Salisbury. She grinned happily as she called goodnight to a few of her fellow troopers then she left the barracks. Tonight ended as a good night for her and she could not wait to see Katia’s face in a few weeks.

**To be continued.**


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Ashley had just driven home and parked her car in the garage. She hadn’t closed the garage door so she walked out that way and went to the doorway of the garage. There on the side of the doorway was a hidden panel and Ashley flipped the top up. Under the top was a number keypad and she punched in four numbers then pressed the enter button. Instantly the garage door began to roll down.

Ashley walked away from the garage and down the small driveway. She took off her trooper hat and tucked it under her right arm. She reached her mailbox and opened it up. Several letters were inside along with a newspaper.

The state trooper started to thumb through the letters as she strolled to her front door. When she went up one step, she stopped, and stared at one particular letter. It wasn’t a bill and it wasn’t junk mail, nor was it from family. She furrowed her eyebrows at the unfamiliar handwriting but she knew the letter was actually a card. She turned it over and on the back was Katia Danforth’s name and her university mailing address.

Slowly, Ashley began to smile and she turned some and sat down on the bottom step. First she placed her other mail and her hat down on the step beside herself. She then reached to her side and pulled out a knife that lived in a case on her belt side. She flipped the blade out and carefully opened the card. After she put the knife away, she pulled the card out.

On the front of the card was a beautiful image of a wheat field rolling along hills and a brilliant sunset reflecting off the wheat. Ashley opened the card and began to read what Katia wrote to her.

_Ashley,_

_Doesn’t this remind you of the place where we first met?_

The trooper paused and just laughed quietly. She then continued reading the card.

_Well maybe this place is a little more beautiful than where we met but I did laugh when I saw this card and the irony. So I thought you might laugh too. I like it when you laugh and smile._

_Anyway, I wanted to thank you for saving me from that guy. I hope he’s still handcuff to his truck and dying to go to the bathroom. I think that’s a worst fate than jail time._

Once again, Ashley stopped and just started to laugh at Katia’s words. She’d been extremely tempted that night to take out that man. The only reason she hadn’t was because of her concern for Katia. After a heavy sigh, Ashley went back to reading the card.

_I guess what touches me so much was the fact you took such good care of me. You could have easily taken me to the local police and let them handle me. Instead, you welcomed me into your home and cared for me and even showed me I’m worth more than what I think. Not to mention, you drove me all the way back to school. I find such kindness as that rare in people these days so it touched my heart._

_I hope we remain friends and become closer because you’re beginning to already feel like family. Please stay in touch with me and I will always be in your debt for the kindness you showed me. Thank you so much_

_Love Always,_

###  Katia

Ashley held the card in her hands, she reread the card then just stared at it. After a long time, she finally closed the card and carefully slid it back into the envelope. She turned the card over and stared at the front of the envelope where her name and address were written out in Katia’s handwriting. “I wonder where she got my address?” she muttered.

Just for reassurance, Ashley looked at her mailbox and saw that she definitely had her address number lettered on the side of the box. Her eyes lowered back to the card. “Well… there’s always the internet and phonebook.” She grinned and shook her head. She then thought about calling Katia but she was hesitant, she didn’t know what Katia’s daily schedule was like between classes and everything else.

She ignored her worries and decided to just call her friend so she could thank her for the card. Ashley unclipped her Samsung from her belt and flipped the top. She searched Katia’s name then hit the send button on her friend’s cell number. She lifted the cell phone.

“Ashley?” greeted Katia over the phone.

“Hey.” Ashley smiled at hearing her friend’s voice. “You’re not busy?”

“No, no,” persisted Katia. She smiled as she sat down on her bed, her cell phone in her right hand and against her ear. “I just finished classes and just stepped into my room now. How are things in Hunt Valley?”

“Pretty good. How have you been?” Ashley leaned back against the steps and stretched her left arm back until it pressed against the top step.

“Things are getting a little better,” admitted Katia. “Classes have been really busy.”

“Good. They’ll keep you out of trouble.” Ashley just heard Katia huff at her. She grinned and studied the postmark date on the card Katia had sent her. It was dated four days after she dropped Katia off at Salisbury. “I got your card today,” she mentioned.

“Oh you did?” Katia felt her stomach tighten some.

“Yes and you don’t need to thank me much less send a card.”

Katia sighed inwardly as her smile reappeared. “Hey… you saved me, you’re my hero. I have to praise you some how,” she teased.

Ashley quietly laughed and continued to stare at her address in Katia’s handwriting. “Thank you though, Katia.”

“My pleasure,” replied the young woman. She scooted onto her bed more then fell back into it, becoming more comfortable. “Did you work today?”

“Yeah, I did.”

“Any interesting tales?” probed the college student.

Ashley just knew her friend would ask that. She lifted herself up and carefully put the card down into the pile of her mail. “Just the usual.”

“The usual? What does that entail?” Katia grinned and added, “Getting shot at?”

Ashley laughed and stared down at her black shoes on the pavement below. “No, didn’t get shot at today. I did catch a couple of kids with cocaine… that was about it.”

“Really?” urged Katia. “A lot?”

“That depends on how you look at it.” A small grin tugged at Ashley’s lips. “If you mean in their stash, no there wasn’t much. But there was plenty in them.”

Katia giggled a little. “Gotcha now.”

“Just the usual speeding tickets though today. I did though get a call in at the Towson mall for stealing.”

“Yeah?” urged the college student.

“Mmmm.” Ashley lifted her head and looked across the road. She saw her neighbours pulling into their -driveway. “This couple, boyfriend and girlfriend, were in Victoria Secret and-”

“Oh no, don’t tell me he stole underwear for her?”

“Pretty much,” replied Ashley.

Katia laughed really hard. “Oh that’s too funny.” She laughed a little more then asked, “So did you have to stumble through that one?”

“Yeah actually. It’s not easy to stand there and write up a report about a man stealing a pair of thongs for his girlfriend. Let’s just say they blushed more than I could count.” She could hear a few more giggles from Katia. “It was pretty humorous in the end. And I think the embarrassment was enough justice for them.”

“Yeah I bet,” agreed Katia. She sighed contently and closed her eyes.

“So how are classes?”

“Like I said, pretty busy,” replied Katia, “I had a test in Calc this today, which ended my week just perfectly. I’m not that great with my math.”

“You have a lot of trouble with it?”

“Well,” started Katia, “not so much trouble. Its just when my class first starts out, everything goes in one ear and out the other. Then for some reason, I suddenly catch on by mid semester and by then its kinda late to start pulling my grade up.”

“Mmmm, yeah that’s not so good,” agreed the trooper. “Have you gone for extra help on it?”

“I thought about it.” Katia chewed on her lower lip, worried she’d get a lecture from her friend like her parents would do occasionally.

“Well….” Ashley bent forward some, she grasped a lace on her right shoes and began twisting it. “Might be a good place to start, yah know. I would help if I was there.”

Katia relaxed when she heard the concern in Ashley’s voice and not annoyed as she had feared earlier. “You’re good with your math?” inquired the college student.

“I’m good in a lot of subjects,” admitted the older woman.

Katia groaned and asked, “Are you one of those people that could sleep through the class, wake up at the end, and know everything that was taught?”

“Yup.” Ashley suddenly had a smirk when she heard a dramatic groan come from her friend.

“I… hate… those… types,” drew out Katia. “I wish I could do that.”

“Yeah I bet you would… sleep through your classes and know everything,” teased Ashley.

“Very funny,” deadpanned the younger woman. “I’m still a good student. Just some subjects come easier than others.”

“Yeah I know.” Ashley twisted her lace tightly then let it go and it untwined. “Just think about getting some extra help with your math,” she quietly mentioned. “I’d hate to see you fail over your own stubbornness.”

Katia chuckled at her friend’s teasing. She had to admit though Ashley hit the nail over the head. She was too proud and stubborn at times to ask for help. “I’ll think about it,” she whispered.

“That’s a start.” Ashley smiled.

Katia smiled as well.

Ashley began to notice it was growing dark. She looked to the west and couldn’t see the sun anymore but the remaining sunlight poured through the trees. “I meant to ask you,” she started, “have you decided on a major?”

“Mmmmm… not really,” confessed Katia. “I can’t figure out what I want to do. I thought about English as my major.” She paused and shrugged. “I don’t know… being a writer isn’t very much money.”

Ashley chuckled and smiled to herself. “Not unless you’re Steele.”

“Or Clancy,” added Katia.

The state trooper grinned and nodded. “So you like to do creative writing.”

“I also like the arts and I mean drawing arts,” explained Katia.

“Really?” asked the curious officer. “What kind of medium?”

“Any really,” answered Katia, “I can paint, draw with graphite… work with clay and right onto photography.” She shrugged some. “I just enjoy art.”

“Hmmm.” Ashley thoughtfully considered the darkening sky over head. She stared at several large clouds as her thoughts tried to add things up. “What does one plus one equal?”

“Um two,” replied Katia. She opened her eyes and wondered what was her friend’s point.

“Well… what’s creative writing plus art equal?” countered Ashley.

Katia pressed her lips together and tried to really add the equation. “I told you I sucked at math,” she joked.

Ashley grinned. “Comics.”

“What?” Katia instantly sat up in her bed. “Comics? You mean like… comic book comics?”

“The same,” replied Ashley.

“But….” Katia furrowed her eyebrows as she added the equation too. Katia liked writing and she also liked drawing. And the other odd part of the entire thing was the fact when she was younger, she use to be into comic books. “Wait….”

Ashley’s lips slowly shaped into a wicked grin. “It’ll come to you,” she tormented.

“How’d you….” Katia laughed but more in disbelief. “Why didn’t I think of that?”

Ashley smirked and replied, “Because I’m the one that can fall asleep and wake up knowing everything.”

“Oh yeah, almost forgot.”

“I won’t let you,” tormented Ashley.

Katia snickered. “Thanks.” She then went more serious as she considered her friend’s idea. “What kind of major is that anyway?”

“Well….” Ashley started to consider how to work it.

“Come on, mathematician.”

The trooper rolled her eyes but finally answered the question. “Major in art and minor in creative writing. Can you do that at SU?”

“Not sure… let me look.” Katia hopped out of her bed and went to her desk. She pulled open her bottom drawer and found the university degree catalogue. She went to the front where the art majors were and she found one for a bachelors in fine arts. She quickly dog eared it then flipped to the English department where she also found a minor for creative writing. She marked it as well and put the catalogue down on her desk.

“Find them?” quietly asked Ashley.

“Yeah, actually.” Katia laughed and sat down in her desk chair. “How’d you know that?”

“I have many skills,” joked Ashley. She grinned and reached over to grab her hat. “So you have one idea now,” she mentioned while putting on her hat.

“Yeah… I guess I do,” agreed the college student.

Ashley gathered up her mail and stood up.

“Are you working this weekend?” inquired Katia, breaking the brief silence.

“No but I’m headed up to Lancaster.” Ashley lifted her right shoulder and held the phone against her ear. She then used her free hand to pull out her house keys. She managed to unlock the door and pushed it open. She grabbed her cell phone with her keys still in her hand.

“What’s up in Lancaster?”

The officer opened her door and went inside, she felt the warm air in her house rush to her. “I’m going up to see Laurel.” She slammed the door shut with her foot.

“Gee you two must be pretty damn close for you to drive up there.” Katia shook her head some then slumped down in her desk chair.

“You could say that,” agreed Ashley. She was walking into her kitchen where she deposited her mail on the kitchen table. “If I wasn’t going up I’d let you come over,” she mentioned.

Katia smiled. “Oh and here I thought you were glad to get rid of me last weekend.”

Ashley softly laughed and made her way back out of the kitchen. “You were good company,” she teased. She went to the steps and slowly climbed them. “Maybe next weekend though.”

“Honestly?” urged Katia.

“Yeah sure but this time you have to drive over.”

“Eek.” Katia shook her head then said, “I don’t exactly have a ton of money for gas, yah know.”

“Well… guess you’ll have to stay on the Eastern Shore,” taunted the older woman. She’d already reached the top of her steps and instead of going to her bedroom she went down to the left of hallway and went to the door at the opposite end. She opened her door and leaned against the doorway while saying, “You don’t get any money from your parents?”

“Some,” admitted Katia. “Don’t get me wrong. My family is rich and all but I’m the low child on the pole so to speak.”

“I didn’t know you have siblings.” Ashley stared at her computer screen. The doorway she leaned against was to her office.

“I have a younger sister… a spoiled younger sister.” Katia sat up and leaned back, her head falling back over the top of the chair. “I have to do everything on my own steam while my parents stick a golden spoon in Lisa’s mouth.”

The state trooper sighed and lifted herself off the doorway. “I’m sorry.” She came up to her desk chair and grasped the top of the chair. “There is one good thing about that though.”

“What’s that?” Katia lifted her head up.

Ashley reached forward and pushed the button on the monitor. Her face suddenly lit up from the monitor. “It’ll make you extremely independent.”

“I was independent when I was five,” joked Katia.

Ashley grinned some but felt bad for her friend. She now understood why Katia was so closed up, stubborn, and lacked self-esteem. “Hey, we’re both in the same boat,” she reminded. Ashley moved her mouse around and maximized her Explorer. “So I can relate, Katia.” She stared at the web page of a house for sale located just outside of Salisbury Maryland. “Once in awhile its nice to be dependent on somebody.”

“Yeah right if I could trust somebody enough,” countered Katia. “Anytime I have tried in the smallest amount they stab me in the back somehow.”

Ashley let out a heavy sigh while she stared at the image of the house on the web page. “Give it time.” She then looked away from the monitor and said, “Well if you show up Friday evening, I’ll be here. I shouldn’t be working.”

Katia inwardly grumbled because she wanted to go next weekend but she didn’t know how she was going to get there. “Alright… I’ll be there one way or another.”

Ashley chuckled. “I’ll count on it.” She turned around and left her office. “And unfortunately I have to get moving, Katia. It’s a long drive up to Lancaster.”

“You’re going tonight?” asked the surprised college student.

“Yeah.”

Katia could tell by Ashley’s tone that she wasn’t happy in the slightest that she had to drive tonight. She then began to wonder why Ashley was going up there anyway if she didn’t even want to go. “Well drive safely up there.”

“I will,” promised Ashley. She was in her bedroom now and placing her trooper hat on top of her dresser. “Have a good weekend, alright? Call me if you need anything.”

“Well do. You do the same, alright?” Katia grinned then added, “Like if you need somebody to talk to keep you awake while you’re driving.” She heard Ashley faintly chuckle.

“I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks.”

“No problem. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Alright. Bye, Katia.”

“See yah, Ashley.” Katia lowered her phone while flipping it shut.

Ashley pushed her end button and closed her phone. She then hurried to get ready and travel to Laurel’s place for the weekend.

***

Katia stormed into Mike’s room from across the cluster. “Mike, I need a favour.”

Mike was in his closest and getting changed. “What’s up, honey?” He turned around while putting on a black leather belt.

“I need to get off campus this weekend. I was here all last weekend. And-”

“And the weekend before that you runaway, what else you wanna do?” tormented the gay young man. He shook his head. “You should stay here this weekend.”

“I can’t, Mike.”

Mike buckled his belt and looked up. “Then what you need me for? Just go, Katia.” He turned around in the closest again and pulled out a button down white blouse. He slipped into it over his tee-shirt and he slowly buttoned it up.

“Well I have plans its just… well it involves travelling.”

“Oh no, not again,” joked Mike. He spun around on his heels and grinned at her. “Where to now? California?”

“That was last time,” teased Katia. She moved away from the door and sat down on Mike’s bed. “This time its Baltimore.”

Mike was looking down at his shirt but he stopped buttoning and looked up. “You want to go see Ashley? Katia Danforth!”

Katia suddenly blushed when she saw Mike’s grinning face. “Mike its not like that!”

“Honey.” Mike came over and knelt down in front of her. “Its okay to be a lesbian, you know.”

“Argh, Mike.”

“I’m serious… we all go through this period of uncertainties but it’ll work out, I promise.”

“Mike!” hotly yelled the young woman. “I’m not like that.”

“Girl, when was the last time you dated a guy huh?” Mike smirked and stood up. He went back to buttoning his top.

“Not long ago.” Katia got a sceptic look from her friend. She rolled her eyes and said, “Look it doesn’t matter anyway. I just need some help.”

“What you need?”

Katia suddenly pouted. “About twenty bucks.”

“Done.” Mike walked over to his desk and pulled open the middle drawer. He opened his leather wallet and peered up. “I only have a fifty so you’ll have to suffer with that.”

“Mike, I don’t need that much to fuel my car up.”

The young man rolled his eyes and came back over to her. “Just take it, Katia.”

“I rather use my credit card,” protested Katia.

“And pay the bill with what money?” contested Mike. “Katia, just take the fifty and whatever you don’t use you can give back to me. How’s that?” He gave a warm smile and held out the bill. “Besides, its not a good idea to travel without much money.”

“Are you sure?” urged Katia.

Mike decided to end his friend’s worry. He went over to her, took her right hand, and put the bill into her hand. “Positive.”

“Thank you, Mike.” Katia sprung up and hugged her friend.

Mike smiled and tightly hugged her back. “You better get going because it’s already four.” He pulled away but held onto her shoulders. “It’s a long ride over there.”

“Yeah, I know,” agreed Katia. She smiled and said, “Thank you again, Mike.”

“Anytime, honey. Go enjoy yourself.” Mike turned Katia around and pushed her towards the door.

Katia laughed and took the hint.

“Don’t let the door hit yah where the good lord split yah.”

Katia threw a glare at her friend then left the room. “Thanks, Mike. Bye!”

“Bye!” called Mike through the closed door. He smiled to himself and muttered, “Ashley is good for her, I think.” He nodded his head in seeming approval. “Definitely.” He turned and went back to his closest to get ready for tonight’s outing.

Katia shoved the money away in her back jean pocket. She rushed back into her room and began packing her stuff for the weekend. Once she decided she had everything she needed, she grabbed her long yellow bag and brought the strap over her right shoulder. “Here I come Hunt Valley.” She dashed over to her desk and swiped her purse. She then went over to Erin’s desk and hastily wrote a goodbye note to her so she wouldn’t think she ran off again.

Katia then raced out of the room and the dorm. She went directly to her car and tossed her items in the trunk. She slammed the trunk and hopped into the Mercedes. Once she had her car started, she backed out and drove down Camden then West College Avenue until she got onto Route 13 north.

But before she got onto Route 50, she stopped at the Wawa gas station and fuelled up her car. Once she was back on Route 13, she quickly took the ramp to Route 50 west and headed for the Bay Bridge. As she drove along, she realized once she got across the bridge she wouldn’t know how to get to Hunt Valley from there. “Oh crap go figure,” grumbled Katia. “I’m such an idiot.” She glanced at her purse on the passenger’s seat. She leaned over and slipped her hand inside and felt around for her cell phone. She finally found it and pulled it out. “Maybe she’s not working right now.”

Katia kept her eye on the road while punching in a message to Ashley. She could only hope Ashley wasn’t busy and she could get some directions on how to make it to Hunt Valley. Suddenly her phone started to ring and she quickly flipped it open. “Hey, Ashley.”

“So you’re coming over huh?” teased Ashley over the phone.

“Yeah, I found a way.”

“Glad to hear it.” Ashley smiled and lowered the radar gun down onto the passenger seat in her police vehicle. “Need some directions huh?”

“Kind of,” admitted Katia. “If you’re not busy.”

“No, no… I’m just sitting here doing speeding tickets,” casually mentioned the officer.

“Oh great.” Katia couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re not any where near me, are you?”

“Oh wait….” Ashley grinned and said, “I see this golden 190E coming my way, real fast too.”

“Shit!” Katia partially believed her friend because she started to slow down and even got into the right line. “Wait,” she growled, “you’re… oh that was so wrong, Ashley.” She heard her older friend just snicker.

“Gotcha… you shouldn’t speed, Katia.”

“Yeah, yeah… so ticket me,” taunted the college student. She actually started to speed back up again but not over sixty-five miles per hour. “I saw how fast your speedometer was last weekend when you drove me back.”

“I’m the law… I can speed.”

“When you’re on duty,” reminded the younger woman.

Ashley grinned to herself. She reached over and put the radar gun back up on the dash and locked it into place. She put the automatic switch on and let it take care of the targeting. “When you get across the bridge just follow 50 and 301 until you meet up with I-95 North. Follow 95-”

“Until I get 695 West, right?”

“Got it and when you see signs for 83 take the exit for 83 north. Once you’re on there, look for the exit to Shawan road.”

“Okay, I know the rest from there.” Katia manoeuvred her car into the left lane and passed three slower cars then got back into the right lane. “Will you be home?”

“Yeah, I’m off duty in another fifteen minutes. So I….”

Katia could hear a beeping noise in the background. “What’s that?”

“Somebody doing eighty-two.” Ashley flipped her sirens on and her lights. “Anyway, I’ll message the directions later.” She’d already started her car and went reeling out of her hidden spot behind an over pass pillar. “I’ve gotta get back to work here.” She was in the fast lane and doing about a sixty miles per hour and going faster.

“Right. Go get ‘em, tiger,” teased Katia. “Be careful. See yah soon.” She could just make out Ashley voice over the sirens.

Ashley couldn’t help but grin and it was simply from the nickname. “See you soon then.” She shut her cell phone and floored her gas pedal.

Katia continue to drive towards the Bay Bridge, she was already coming into Easton Maryland. She switched lanes into the left lane and passed several cars then her heart skipped a beat. She released her gas pedal and instantly her 190E began to slow down at an increasing rate. Katia tried to take deep breaths as she passed by the state trooper that was in the grass between the northbound and southbound highways.

As Katia flew past the state trooper, she kept her eyes up to the rear view mirror. She was just waiting for the cop car to pull out and come after her for speeding. But as she drove along, the police car never moved and Katia sighed in relief. “Goddamn… cops,” she hissed. “She’s got me paranoid now.”

After that incident, Katia went a little slower and decided she really didn’t need to rush to get to Ashley’s place. It took her about two hours to finally make it to Route 83 north and she kept a sharp eye out for the Shawan road exit. About an hour and half ago Katia had gotten a text message from Ashley as promised with the directions. She was now looking at them just to confirm the exit number she needed to take to Shawan road.

Katia found the exit and quickly turned onto the ramp. Once she connected with Shawan road, she drove past the Hunt Valley mall, and went down to the lights. Making a left onto York road, she drove to the entrance of the housing development where Ashley lived.

She drove along the whiney road and came around the last left turn and spotted Ashley’s house to the left. To her surprise, she saw Ashley still outside in the last remains of the sunset light. She quickly realized Ashley was drying her car with a shamie. “Huh… she must have washer her car.” Katia drove her car past Ashley’s driveway and parked her car on the side of the road. She knew there was plenty of room and also considering a lot of other people in the development were doing the same thing.

Ashley straightened up with her cloth in her right hand. She watched as Katia came out of her 190E and pulled out a yellow bag from the trunk. “Hey there, stranger.” She walked from the side of her car to the back of it and waited for Katia.

The college student smiled warmly and walked up the driveway. “Miss me,” she teased.

“Actually yeah,” confessed the state trooper. Katia came up to her and pulled her into a strong hug. Ashley smiled and hugged her friend back.

Katia gave one last tight squeeze then released her friend. “So you cleaned your car huh?”

“Yeah… she needed it.” Ashley looked at it then back at her friend. “I hate a dirty car.”

“Think you can do mine next?” joked Katia.

“Sure.”

Katia blinked then laughed. “Funny.” She then poked her head around Ashley’s tall form and looked at the sparkling car. It sparkled even in the darkening afternoon. “Not bad,” she admitted. She returned her attention to her friend. “Guess you’re still drying it off huh?”

“Yeah, just started but won’t take me long.” Ashley turned around and folded her arms. She seemed to inspect how clean her car was and nodded her head in approval.

“Go ahead and finish up. I’ll make dinner for us,” stated Katia. She then grabbed Ashley’s left arm and stood up on her tiptoes.

Ashley’s eyes suddenly widened when Katia kissed her on the cheek.

Katia chuckled and walked away from her friend. “No rush either,” she called.

Ashley blinked and just remained frozen for several seconds. She blinked again and glanced at front door of her house. The door had just shut with Katia closing it. “What was that?” she whispered. After a shaky breath, she walked back to her spot on the passenger side and continued drying her car off before it got any later.

Once she finished drying her car off, she rang out her shammie and got into her car. She took a deep breath and smelled just how clean her car was now. It made her happily smile. Ashley then started the car and drove it into the open garage. She didn’t push the close door button on her sun visor. Instead she got out and walked back outside to gather up her cleaning supplies. She also coiled up the garden house and unscrewed it from the faucet on the side of her garage. She put all her cleaning supplies away in the garage.

Ashley strolled out of the garage and made sure to key in the code on the garage keypad. She stepped back as the door rolled down. Briefly she stood there and watched the door take her view away of the back of her car. She slid her hands into her khaki pant pockets and walked to the front of her house. When she went into her house, she made her way into the kitchen to find Katia cooking and humming a tune.

Ashley smiled and stopped in the doorway. She admired Katia’s from behind and some urge arose in Ashley. She felt like stepping up behind Katia and slipping her arms around the younger woman then pulling her in against her own body. Ashley shook her head and tried to rid of the thoughts. She finally walked into the kitchen.

Katia took notice of her friend and stopped humming. “Hey,” she greeted. “I’m almost finished.”

“You didn’t need to cook dinner,” protested Ashley.

The college student flashed a grin then returned her focus to what she was cooking over the stove. “I don’t mind…do you?”

The state trooper slowly grinned and came over to her friend’s side. “No… considering my own cooking.”

“Oh?”

Ashley half grinned and chuckled. “I never said I was a great chef.”

“Well you have one now,” stated Katia. She winked then looked at her cooking rice. She put the wood spoon in and stirred the herb rice around some. “Get something to drink… sit down. It’s almost finished.”

Ashley nodded and went around her friend. She opened an over head cupboard and pulled out two glasses. As she went to the kitchen table, she asked, “What you want to drink?”

“You still have that Arizona tea?” inquired the college student.

“Of course.” Ashley grinned and went to her fridge. She pulled out the tall can of Arizona tea and poured the remains between her glass and Katia’s glass. “What you cooking?”

“Rice,” replied Katia. She shifted to another pot and stirred the contents. “Corn.” She had a small stick of butter near the stove with a knife beside it. She picked up the knife and cut a small piece of butter. Her butter went into the pot of corn to melt. “And chicken.” Katia was now at the oven and poking her head in to check on the food.

“Sounds good,” agreed Ashley. She was back near the stove again but pulling out two plates from another cupboard. Then she lowered her hands and slid open a drawer full of utensils. She strolled back to the kitchen table with two forks and two knives that she set on the table. Ashley then pulled out a chair and sat down. She glanced over at Katia.

Katia was pulling out the baked chicken and setting it down on the back of the stove. She lifted the lid on both the rice and corn to find them ready. “Perfect,” she muttered. She quickly turned off the gas burners and was about to get plates but saw they were already out.

Ashley inwardly chuckled at Katia’s brief confusion. She grinned, bent forward, and grabbed two napkins from the left side of the kitchen table. She always kept a stack of them on the table for use. She neatly folded them and slipped them underneath the knives and forks. When she looked up, she saw Katia carrying the plates of food.

“Is that enough?” inquired Katia as she lowered the steaming plate in front of her friend.

“Perfect.” Ashley grinned and her stomach happily growled.

Katia lowered her plate in her spot then sat down. “I haven’t eaten all day,” she mentioned while pulling the napkin off the table and into her lap.

Ashley peered up from her food, a worried look on her face. “Why?”

“Just so damn busy,” replied Katia. She shook her head.

“Come on.” Ashley lifted her fork.

Katia mimicked the action and started eating her meal. “Oh by the way….” She finished chewing her mouthful of herb rice before continuing her sentence.

The officer patiently waited as she thoughtfully munched on some of the corn.

“That Calc test I had…?”

“Mmmm?” Ashley raised an eyebrow.

“Eighty-six,” happily stated the college student. “I took your advice… again.”

Ashley grinned and teased, “My advice has been good for you lately.”

“Yeah, I’ve noticed that too.” The younger woman chuckled and smiled. She lifted her knife and started cutting a piece of chicken. “I went to the math centre a day before the test. Got some extra help and everything clicked into place finally.”

“Glad to hear it.” The state trooper was busy eating her chicken now. “Keep going if you have to,” she added.

“Yeah, I will,” agreed Katia. She returned her attention to her food. She was really enjoying the chicken out of all the food. Then she looked up with a curious expression.

Ashley caught the look and raised an eyebrow at her friend.

“I’ve meant to ask you,” started Katia, “this is purely out of nosey curiosity.”

Ashley chuckled and shook her head. “Go on.”

“What number are you?”

The older woman pushed her rice around some then looked up. “Trooper number?”

“Uh huh.”

“Eleven fifty-three,” stated the trooper in a tone that sounded rather serious.

Katia pressed her lips together. “One, one, five, three,” she whispered, more to herself than anybody else.

Ashley nodded but she wasn’t looking at her friend.

“You really like being an officer?” Katia looked up.

Ashley lifted her head and met soft emerald eyes. “Yeah… I really do.” She watched as a smile emerged on Katia’s face and she couldn’t help but let one pull at her own lips.

Katia felt an uneasy for staring at her friend for so long. She broke the contact and shovelled her corn up with her fork. “I think I respect cops more now because of you.”

The state trooper huffed but she couldn’t help her grin. “Gee thanks.”

“I’m serious… in a serious way,” countered Katia. She lowered her fork to her plate even though she wasn’t finished. “I looked at cops like… well… well like pigs.”

Ashley shook her head while cutting her chicken. “Yup… save somebody and they change their entire perspective."

Katia heard the taunting tone in Ashley’s voice but when sky eyes met her own, she knew Ashley was also a bit hurt. “Don’t get me wrong, I think police are important and are needed and what not to keep the peace. I mean without police god only knows what society would be like.”

“Chaotic,” confirmed Ashley. She ate the last piece of her chicken.

“Its just you know… after being around certain people, they made me think that cops liked to just hand out tickets and ruin people’s days.”

Ashley evilly snickered. “Well that’s not all a lie.” She looked up with a glitter in her eyes. “I have done that a couple of times.” She shrugged then added, “But they’re the type of jerks that deserve it.”

“Exactly. I mean, if you stop somebody that’s whines and complains to you then you ticket them, right?”

“Right away,” agreed Ashley.

“And if they’re nice and realized they were wrong-”

“Then I don’t because I think they learned their lesson,” finished the state trooper.

“Exactly.” Katia sighed and looked down at her food. She had only a little bit of rice and corn left so she mixed the two together. “My point is,” she looked up, “police are here to help us and protect us even if it means a ticket or jail time or… whatever for me or another person.”

Ashley grinned, ate her last bit of rice, then pushed her plate away after putting her fork and knife on the plate. “You just figured this out?”

“Okay… so I’m a little slow,” agreed Katia.

The officer revealed a big grin. “No, I didn’t say that.” She sat back into her chair. “You must have missed D.A.R.E. class huh?”

“Very funny.” Katia couldn’t help but grin as she finished her meal. “I respect police better now.” She put her fork and knife on her plate and sat back into her chair. “So thank you for that and I’m sorry for looking down on police.”

Ashley smiled, folded her hands over her full stomach and said, “Thank you.”

“Welcome.” Katia smiled back.

The trooper contently sighed and patted her stomach.

“Good huh?” teased college student.

“Mmmm,” agreed Ashley. She then suddenly stood up and took the plates. She deposited on the counter beside the sink. She turned around and leaned against the counter, her hands up and holding the ridge of the counter top. “What you feel like doing tomorrow?”

“Well….” Katia pushed her chair out and stood. “I wanted to ask you something else.”

Ashley did a dramatic groan. “What’s that?”

The younger woman chuckled at her friend’s grin. “That picture of you and Laurel?”

“Yessss?” drew out the state trooper.

“Where were ya’ll?”

Ashley brightened up at where her friend was going with this line of questioning. “Baltimore Inner Harbour. Why?”

“That’s what I thought but I wasn’t sure,” muttered Katia. She pushed her chair in then turned back around. “Is it nice there?”

“You haven’t been?” inquired the surprised trooper.

“No actually.” Katia faintly blushed and came over with her and Ashley’s empty glasses. “I heard it’s a lot of fun.”

Ashley took the glasses and placed them behind herself. “We’ll go there then tomorrow.”

“I would say yes but….”

“But?” probed the taller woman.

Katia folded her arms over her chest.

Ashley crossed her arms over her chest and arched an eyebrow.

Katia giggled and lowered her arms. “You’ll pay for everything. I have absolutely no money. I had to bum money off Mike just to get here.”

Ashley sighed and dropped her arms. “Katia, should have told me.”

“I did,” squeaked the younger woman.

“I thought you were kidding or exacerbating some. I would have came over and got you.”

“Its okay,” protested the college student. “I have money and everything its just its all… set aside for things,” she explained.

“Alright how about this….” Ashley straightened up off the counter. “You drive us there and I’ll take care of the rest.”

“No, you’ll spend a…. crap load,” protested the smaller woman.

The state trooper suddenly grinned and grasped her friend’s shoulders. “Let me put it another way. If you drive me there, that means I don’t have to drive.” She lowered her head closer to Katia’s. “Know why that’s the greatest thing in the world to me?”

“Um… no,” whispered Katia in a small voice.

“Because five days a week I drive all day long,” uttered the cop.

“Oh.” Katia blinked and she came out of her trance when Ashley pulled away. “Never thought of it like that.”

“Is it a deal then?” Ashley held up her right hand.

Katia swallowed as she debated with herself. She slowly lifted her hand and took the much larger one. “Okay,” she agreed and shook but she instantly regretted it when a wicked grin crossed Ashley’s features.

“Great.” Ashley broke the hand contact and walked out of the kitchen with a bounce in her walk.

“Oh shit,” muttered Katia, “What’d I just agree to?” And she was surprised when Ashley actually heard her because Ashley flashed Katia a cat like grin. She shook away her thoughts and realized her friend was headed to the living room. “Hey wait up,” she called, “don’t hog that extremely comfy couch.” She hurried after her friend.

“Too late!” yelled Ashley.

***

“Oh my god! I’m in a city… I’m driving in a city,” hyperventilated Katia. “I hate cities!”

Ashley groaned and was about the break the deal and just to drive Katia’s car herself. “Just breathe, Katia,” she soothed.

Katia took the advice and breathed very deeply.

“Good. Out with the bad air… in with the good air.”

The college student glared at her friend. “You know you’re a real-”

“Stop!” yelled Ashley suddenly.

Katia looked out the front window and slammed on her brakes. She threw out her right arm and pressed it against Ashley’s chest.

Ashley closed her eyes and gripped the front dash with both her hands.

Katia held her breath as her Mercedes came to a sudden stop and inches from hitting the Nissan Maxima in front of them. “I… hate… cities,” breathed the shaking Katia.

The state trooper sighed in relief and removed her hands from the black dash. “I… hate… your… driving,” she teased.

The college student winked but on the inside she was sighing with relief. She pulled her right arm away from Ashley and gripped the steering wheel again.

“I’m not letting the state renew your license,” muttered Ashley under her breath.

“Thanks,” deadpanned Katia. She pressed on her gas when the Nissan in front of them drove forward.

“This next street, take a right onto,” instructed Ashley.

Katia did as she was told and then her friend told her to pull into the garage on her left side. She turned the Mercedes into the five-story parking lot. She came up to the gate and took a ticket from the personnel. She slipped the ticket away in her sun visor then drove forward.

Unfortunately, Katia had to drive up to the third level and then she finally found an open parking spot. She immediately took it and turned her car off. She took a shaky breath before taking her key out of the ignition.

“You okay?” quietly asked Ashley.

Katia eased a smile onto her lips. “Yeah… I’m okay. Sorry about that.”

“Didn’t think cities freaked you out that bad,” commented the older woman.

“Not so much the city but the idea of getting lost… then running out of fuel.”

The officer chuckled and said, “I know this city very well, Katia. You don’t have to worry about that.”

“I know.” Katia smiled then opened her door, she stepped out.

The tall trooper got out as well and it felt good to stretch her legs out. She slammed the door.

“Hey!” yelled Katia, “Easy, easy… this is a Mercedes.”

A crooked grin appeared on Ashley’s face. “My mistake… let me try that again.” She opened the door and carefully closed the door this time.

Katia nodded her approval. “Much better.” She inserted her key and locked the doors.

Ashley laughed a few times and walked to the back of the car. She waited for Katia and when they were together, they started for the elevator. The friends then made it to the Inner Harbour within ten minutes and they decided first to go to the aquarium. As they walked around the Inner Harbour, through the crowd, Katia began to realize the photo of Laurel and Ashley was positioned in front of the aquarium since it had the neon lights.

Once they arrived at the entrance, Ashley took care of the tickets and then shoved her friend inside the building. They first started out with all the various marine life within the Chesapeake Bay area. They then went up an escalator that took them up and up until finally a very warm, humid air surrounded them.

“What?” whispered Katia in surprised. “A tropical rain forest in an aquarium huh?” She chuckled while stepping off the escalator.

“Neat huh?” Ashley grabbed her friend’s shoulders and directed her through the path in the forest. She then stopped them in front of a railing so they could look around at the area.

“Pretty,” commented college student. She was looking all around herself – back, front, above, and to her sides. Then something caught her eye and she stared at a pair of women.

Ashley followed her friend’s gaze, curious as to what she was staring at right now.

“Are they….” Katia couldn’t finish her sentence, to intrigued by the two women.

“Lesbians?” finished Ashley in a very low voice.

Katia closed her mouth and then tore her gaze away from them. She looked up at her friend and saw how she was carefully watching them now.

“They are,” confirmed Ashley. She lowered her crystal blue eyes to her friend. She saw how Katia had a very confused and questioning look on her face.

Katia felt her stomach drop for some reason. One thing that Sara always told her was that gaydar only typically worked among gays so they could pick up on each other. She didn’t believe a word of what Sara told her but now, she wasn’t so quick to discredit her friend.

Before Katia could say anything, Ashley walked away and continued down the path in the tropical forest.

Katia relaxed her scrunched expression and hurried after her friend. But a random thought made her stop walking, she just stood there and completely surprised by her own thoughts. She knew those two women were not flashy, flaming lesbians that could easily be picked out. They were rather discreet and she knew, from what Sara told her, that it would take a good gaydar to pick up on it. Yet Sara explained to her only gays have gaydar and nobody else really did. So Katia has gaydar now and did that make her gay?

Katia blinked and suddenly she jumped when two hands grabbed her shoulders. “Oh shit.” She sighed when it was just Ashley.

“You okay?” asked the worried trooper. She felt her stomach knotted up at trying to guess at what Katia was thinking about now.

“Yeah… yeah. I just… realized something,” simply stated the younger woman. She lifted her head.

Ashley grounded her teeth some then decided to just go with it. “Was it something bad?”

“No… I don’t think so.” Katia smiled and she could tell it eased her friend’s worries. She stepped closer and hugged Ashley.

The state trooper was surprised but she didn’t hesitate to hug her friend back. “Come on… don’t want you to miss the dolphin show.”

Katia chuckled and started walking again along side her friend. “You never told me about that.”

“Was suppose to be a surprise but I figured I better tell you if we wanted to make it there.”

“Let’s go then,” declared the college student. She grabbed her friend’s hand, walked extremely fast and dragged Ashley right along with her.

The friends made it in time for the dolphin show and they both enjoyed it. After they toured the remains of the aquarium, they entered back into the busy Inner Harbour. Katia stopped just outside of the exit and waited for her friend.

Ashley slowly came up from behind and stood directly behind her shorter friend.

“Where to now?” asked Katia, she dropped her head back.

The officer grinned as she looked down into soft mossy eyes. “You like to shop?”

“Does a bear shit in the woods?” joked Katia.

Ashley rolled her eyes and walked around her friend. “Come on.”

Katia straightened up and hurried off to catch up to the trooper. She jumped up to Ashley’s side and continued with her.

“What time are you going to go tomorrow?”

“Mmmm… kind of early. I have a lot of homework to do.”

Ashley raised an eyebrow at the smaller woman. “And you came here? You should have done your work.”

“Oh come on, mommy.” Katia smirked and grabbed Ashley’s closest arm. “I wanted to spend time with you.”

“School first,” reminded the police officer.

“Uh huh.” Katia was grinning though. “So can I come by next weekend?” She released Ashley’s arm.

Ashley sensed her arm cooling off now. “I have Friday and Saturday off. And I’m going to be very busy both days.”

Katia pouted. “Seriously?”

“Yes, seriously.” Ashley noted how tight the crowd was getting as they came around the Baltimore Trade Centre. She stepped in front of her friend, held a hand out, and when Katia took her hand, she weaved through the crowd. When they finally broke through the crowd, she let go of Katia’s hand and waited for her to come back to her side.

“So seriously?” repeated Katia.

“Yessss,” drew out the trooper.

“What are you busy with?” asked the annoyed college student.

“Stuff,” simply stated Ashley.

“Like what stuff?” urged Katia.

“Are you always this nosey?”

“Yup,” answered Katia.

Ashley huffed and shook her head.

“So?”

“So what?” countered Ashley.

“So what are you busy with?”

“Katia,” growled the state trooper. She was growing impatient and she started walking faster, ahead of her friend.

“Yes, Ashley?” Katia had no warning until she suddenly slammed into Ashley’s back. She stumbled back and glared up at her tall friend. “Why’d you do that?”

“Made me feel better,” teased the trooper.

“Oh move it, Officer Carver,” growled Katia. She pushed the older woman.

Ashley snickered and continued leading the way. She went around one of the long buildings along the Harbour. She then stopped at a walkway for a street.

“Where are we going?” inquired the young woman.

“Over there.” Ashley pointed to a tall building across the street.

“The… Galleria.” Katia looked from it to Ashley. “What’s that?”

“A five storey mall. ”

“Oooooooooh.” Katia’s face light up with a smile. “What are we waiting for?” She was about take a step off the pedestrian sidewalk onto the road but a very strong arm grabbed her around the waist.

“We would be waiting for the sign to say we can walk,” reminded the trooper. She watched a car fly past then she freed her arm.

“Oh right,” sheepishly whispered the younger woman.

When the walk signal flashed, they crossed over with several other pedestrians. When they made it into the mall, Katia just filled with excitement and dragged Ashley all over the place. Ashley just humoured her friend and happily followed behind. She wasn’t big into shopping but standing aside and watching Katia shop was extremely entertaining for her.

After Katia had her fun and she thought she’d tormented Ashley enough, she decided they should head back. Yet Ashley disagreed and suggested they get dinner first before leaving. So Ashley led the way back to the Inner Harbour in the early evening and they ended up in one of the green and white buildings along the Harbour.

Katia soon found herself inside a restaurant called The Cheesecake Factory. She licked her lips just at the thought of cheesecake for dessert. And when she was seated with a menu, she flipped instantly to the dessert menu and started happily smacking her lips. Ashley just shook her head and told her the entrée came first.

After dinner, the pair finally decided to go home. Katia kept her promise and drove them both home, especially considering Ashley had a couple of drinks for dinner. She knew Ashley had eaten and two drinks weren’t enough to get anybody intoxicated but she also could tell it relaxed Ashley more so.

“Have a nice time?” quietly asked Ashley.

“Mmmm, yeah thank you.” Katia smiled at her friend. She then quickly looked back, too worried about being distracted. She was currently driving around 695 and looking for 83.

“Good to hear.” Ashley sighed contently and closed her eyes. “We’ll have to go again. Take you to the Imax.”

“There’s an Imax?” Katia’s jaw dropped. “I didn’t get to go to the Imax?”

The state trooper glanced over then closed her eyes again. “No… sorry about that.”

“I like Imax’s,” whispered Katia disappointment.

Ashley felt a ping of guilt. She moved her left hand and rested it on Katia’s leg. She gave a brief squeeze.

Katia hadn’t expected that and she was suddenly pushing down on the gas. She tried to relax but the innocent touch was making her nervous.

“Take you next time,” promised Ashley more to herself than to Katia.

“Don’t worry,” reassured Katia. She released a deep breath when Ashley removed her hand. She then looked over at her friend and asked, “How often do you drink, Ashley?”

The state trooper lifted her right hand and brushed back her midnight bangs. “Not too often. Very rare because I don’t have anybody to drive me.”

“Ah ha! Now I know why you wanted me to drive.”

Ashley gave a silly grin as her hand dropped back into her lap. “Nah, that’s not it.”

“Hmmmm.” Katia was grinning but she lost her grin some. “You enjoy today?”

Ashley opened her eyes again and looked at her friend. “Yeah, of course. I like spending time with you, Katia.”

“Thanks.” The college student smiled. “So if you like spending time with me, you’ll let me come back next weekend?”

The older woman groaned very loudly. “Katia, I told you-”

“Yeah, yeah you’re busy,” cut in Katia. “I see how I rate, uh huh. You’ll travel up to Lancaster to see Laurel but you won’t let me travel here to see you.”

“Katia, it's not like that.”

“I know, Ashley.” Katia gave her friend a smile in hopes it’d sooth Ashley’s worries. “Just giving you a hard time.”

“I know,” whispered Ashley. “If I had the time, I’d let you over.”

“I know… thank you.”

Ashley simply smiled back her welcome.

Within twenty minutes, they arrived back at Ashley’s place. They both got out of the car and after Katia locked up, they went inside and upstairs. For the third time, they slept in Ashley’s bed together. They both had grown accustom to it after the first night two weeks ago. Neither one seemed to mind so they kept the arrangements like that.

The following day though, Katia had to leave in the late morning. After a long hug with Ashley, Katia got into her Mercedes and drove away. Ashley stood on the side of the road and watched her friend drive away. After a deep sigh, she went back into her house to prepare for her busy week. Katia would see her after all.

***

It was now Sunday, a week later, and Katia had yet to speak to Ashley for almost three days. Typically Ashley called Katia or the reverse each day and they would speak on the phone for about an hour. Yet Katia hadn’t heard a word from Ashley and she was too nervous to call Ashley since she knew Friday and Saturday she would be busy.

Currently, Katia was driving back to her University after just dropping Mike off at a friend’s house. She was on Route 50 and headed back south to Salisbury. She felt rather worn out and rather lonely without hearing from Ashley. It’d been over two days without talking to Ashley and she was figuring out she didn’t do too well with Ashley withdraws.

Katia couldn’t figure out why she was growing so close to Ashley but she could not help it. She’d really come to adore the state trooper and even more as she got to know Ashley. She also figured out she was beginning to trust Ashley more than anybody else in her life. She was close with Erin, Sara, and Mike but nothing like how she felt with Ashley. Something just clicked between her and Ashley, she liked that too.

Katia continued thinking about her relationship with Ashley and how it was growing. She then started thinking more about Ashley. Her thoughts began to go back to the day in the aquarium last week and the scene in the tropical rain forest.

Katia tried to shake her thoughts away. She glanced down at her speed and saw she was doing sixty. She’d taught herself to do the speed limit anymore after hanging around Ashley so much. Her eyes lifted away from the speedometer and she peered up in her rear-view mirror. Katia quickly noted a red Dodge Durango coming up behind her.

Katia narrowed her eyes when she noted how fast the SUV was coming up behind her. She’d seen the SUV earlier when it was turning onto route 50 so that didn’t bother her. She was about to curse them when she saw they were about to get on her tail but her pulse quickened.

The SUV was suddenly flashing red and blue lights in the grill and in the front window. Next a siren went off.

“Oh shit it’s a cop,” hissed Katia. She glanced at her speed and saw it was sixty. “I know it's not me.” Yet there were no other cars that close to her and the SUV was not going into the left lane to pass her. “Shit,” she growled.

Katia put on her right blinker and drove off onto the wide shoulder. “I can’t believe this. I didn’t do anything… none of my lights are out. My registration is up to date with my stickers.” She was hyperventilating and her own rambling wasn’t helping her settle down. She came to a stop finally and shifted her gear into park. She pushed the window button and her window went down. As she waited for the police officer to approach her, she looked out her front window and saw the huge speed limit sign that read fifty-five miles per hour. “I wasn’t speeding,” she growled.

Katia felt her pulse quicken when the SUV door swung open and a Maryland State trooper appeared out of the car. “Oh god,” she breathed in fear. She saw the trooper had a notepad and was writing in it, their head was down and the brim of the hat covered their face.

Katia took a shaky breath and prepared for the worst but she decided to get the jump on the officer. When the officer stopped next to her window, she hastily said, “I was not speeding, officer. The speed limit is fifty-five and I know I was doing sixty. The constitution says I can go five miles per hour over the limit.” She got the last words out in a rush of air and she took a minute just breathe. She had no immediate response from the officer and she waited for the trooper to say anything, something.

“I need your license and registration, ma’am.”

Katia’s eyes suddenly widened and her mouth hung open when a pair of warm blue eyes lifted up to her. “Ashley!” she squealed.

Ashley Carver gave her friend the biggest smile. “Hey.” She then jumped back when the Mercedes car door flew open. Ashley almost lost her notepad when Katia jumped into her and hugged her furiously.

The state trooper laughed and hugged her friend back. “Gee… I wish everybody got this happy when I gave them tickets.” Suddenly the air was squeezed out of her and tried to breathe from the strong hug. Katia finally released her and she sucked in a lot of air.

“What… how…” Katia laughed in surprised and just hugged her friend again.

The state trooper grinned and returned the second hug. “Surprised huh?”

“I am.” The college student did a quick squeeze then finally let go for good. “Why are you here? I mean….” She peered around Ashley and looked at the SUV. “You’re obviously on duty but,” she looked at Ashley again, “you’re in the wrong area.”

“No,” countered Ashley. She closed up her notepad and added. “I’ve been transferred to here.”

“You’re joking?”

“No.” Ashley grinned and folded her arms over her chest.

“But… what about your house?” Katia put her hand over her head, she was sorely confused.

The state trooper chuckled and explained it. “I bought a house here, sold my one in Hunt Valley.”

“You mean… you moved here?” Again, Katia had a surprise look as her arm fell back to her side.

“Yup,” confirmed the officer. “I thought I’d check out the Eastern Shore… see what the big deal is.” She grinned.

“Wait….” Katia started to fit the pieces together. “You were busy moving this week, weren’t you?”

“Yeah and figuring out all the money stuff,” explained Ashley. She was about to tell her friend more but suddenly a car went soaring past them.

“Now that was stupid,” muttered Katia under her breath. “Do eighty right in front of a cop.”

Ashley grinned and called back to her friend while walking to her SUV. “I’ll catch up with you.”

“Promise?”

“Definitely.” Ashley got into the SUV but had the window down. She poked her head out and said, “Gotta get back to work.”

“Go get ‘em, tiger,” joked Katia.

The officer was grinning and shaking her head. She looked over her shoulder and drove into the left lane. She flipped a switch on her dash that turned on the siren again.

Katia watched her friend leave and she couldn’t help the silly grin on her face. She climbed back into her car and just sat there for a second. Suddenly it was like everything hit her. “Oh my god… Ashley lives right around the corner now.” She happily laughed. “I’ve gotta tell the girls.” She turned her left blinker on and drove down the shoulder some to get speed. She got into the left lane and continued her drive back to school.

When she got about a mile down the highway, she saw Ashley had pulled over the Ford truck that had flown past them earlier. She honked her horn at Ashley, who was busy in the red SUV.

The state trooper flashed her lights after Katia went by her.

Katia saw it and just giggled to herself. She couldn’t wait to get back to the dorm to tell Sara and Erin that Ashley was now in town.

**To Be Continued.**


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Erin and Sara both looked up when Katia came into the room. Erin was lying in her bed, her hands under her head and Sara was sitting beside her. She peered around Sara and raised an eyebrow at Katia. “Took you awhile to drop off Mike.”

Suddenly Katia had a huge grin on her face. “Yeah I know.”

Sara narrowed her eyes at her friend. “Wait… what’s going on?” She could see an entire shift in Katia’s attitude compared to earlier today. “Let me guess, Ashley called you and she asked you out?”

“Sara,” growled Katia. She laughed some and shook her head. She pulled out her desk chair and threw her car keys down onto it. “It's better than that.” She then put her purse down as well beside her keys.

“You two had sex?” applauded Sara.

“Sara,” hotly yelled Katia. “Get it out of your head that I want Ashley.”

Sara smirked but said nothing else.

“Guess what happened to me though?” hastily started Katia.

“I can’t even imagine,” teased Erin. She rolled onto her right side and lifted her head onto her hand.

“I was driving back after dropping Mike off, right?”

Sara and Erin didn’t say anything and intently listened.

“I was coming down route 50 and suddenly this Durango came flying up behind me.” Katia grinned when her two friends gave her odd looks. “Flashing lights go off.”

“Oh shit, it was a cop?” Sara laughed and shook her head. “Oh that’s funny. How fast were you going?”

“Sixty,” replied Katia.

“What?” cut in Erin. “What’d the cop stop you for then?”

Katia’s evil grin appeared and she leaned forward in her chair. “For nothing.”

Sara looked down at Erin.

Erin simply shrugged and looked at roommate again.

Sara sucked in her breath then returned her attention to Katia. “So the cop stopped you for… nothing? I mean… what’d he say?”

“Not a he,” corrected Katia, “a she.”

“Wait, wait.” Erin held up her left hand then dropped it back to the bed. “Who was the cop?”

“I’m so! glad you asked,” gushed Katia.

“Oh my god, it's your trooper,” yelled Sara. She jumped to her feet. “Its Ashley, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” squealed Katia.

Sara started laughing and she fell back into the bed.

Erin winced when Sara’s body hit her thighs. She sighed while listening to Sara’s loud laughter. When Sara settled down, she looked at Katia and asked, “It was really her?”

“Uh huh,” replied Katia, the biggest grin on her face.

Sara bit her lower lip and held back her remaining laughs. “What’s she doing here?”

“She moved,” simply replied Katia.

“That’s weird,” muttered Erin.

“Not its not,” countered Sara. She nudged Erin with her right elbow. “What’d I tell yah? She’s after Katia.”

Katia rolled her eyes.

“I think you’re right,” joked Erin.

“Hey,” cut in Katia. “You’re not suppose to agree, Erin.”

The roommate just grinned back but she went a little serious. “So why’d she move here?”

“Uh….” Katia furrowed her eyebrows and tried to think why. “You know, I’m not sure.”

“Did she even tell you she was moving here?” Sara folded her arms over her chest.

“No, actually.” Katia lifted her right arm and rested it on her desk. She drummed her fingers on the desk some. “I mean, all she told me was she was busy this past Friday and Saturday.”

“Hmmmm.” Erin stared at the floor. “That’s kinda strange and random.”

“I think it's cute,” whispered Sara.

Erin peered up at her friend and asked, “Why’s that?”

Sara shrugged some as she glanced at Erin. “I mean… she obviously moved here to be closer to Katia. I think that’s really cute.” She paused then added, “She came here for Katia.

“She didn’t… come here for me,” stated Katia. She was looking at her friends with a rather serious expression. “Why would she do that?”

Erin looked at Katia then exchanged a glance with Sara.

Sara licked her lips then looked away from Erin. “Well… why do you think she came over here?”

“The only thing she said to me was she wanted to see the Eastern Shore.”

“Rrrrrright,” teased Sara. She chuckled some.

Katia again rolled her eyes.

“That’s it, Katia,” continued to tease Sara, “she came over here just to see the cows and farmland.”

“Okay, okay.” Katia quietly groaned to herself. She then looked over at her desk to her right. She stared at her car keys then suddenly something dawned on her. “Oh crap, I forgot to fuel up my car.”

“In such a rush to tell us about Ashley huh?” tormented Erin.

“Whatever.” Katia threw a glare at her roommate. “Anyway, I need to fuel up my car.”

“Where you going?” Sara stood up.

“To the Wawa.” Katia got up too and swiped her keys off the desk.

“I’ll come with you.” Sara went over to the door.

Katia grabbed her purse as well and brought it across her chest.

“I’ll see yah two later,” called Erin.

Sara winked and said, “See yah, Er.”

“Er?” repeated Katia. She held the door open for both her and Sara.

Erin glared at Sara.

Sara smirked, grabbed Katia’s hand, and dragged her out.

Erin dramatically sighed when she heard the room door slam.

“You and Erin aren’t….” Katia couldn’t finish her question.

Sara gave a questioning look to Katia. “Come on, Katia… you know Erin likes guys. I can’t shake a ten foot pole at that girl.”

“Yeah but….” Katia didn’t know what point she was trying to make but it wasn’t working.

Sara laughed and walked to the stairwell door. She pushed it open and headed for the bottom floor. Katia followed behind and when they got outside, they went to Katia’s Mercedes. It didn’t take them long to make it to the Wawa and while Katia fuelled up, Sara raced into the store to buy a pack of cigarettes. She came back out and stood beside her friend.

Katia was leaning against her car and holding up the fuel handle. “It’s getting cold,” she mentioned.

Sara had her arms tightly wrapped around herself. “No kidding. It’ll be November soon.” She then glanced past Katia and saw a red SUV drive into the Wawa. “Hey, Katia.” She nodded in the direction of the slow moving SUV. “Look.”

Katia turned her head and she instantly felt her heart skip a beat. “Oh no.” She watched as the Durango drove past them on the other side of the pump. Katia could just make out the dark figure inside of the SUV.

“Is that her?” whispered Sara. Her own eyes were following the SUV.

“I… I think so.” Katia held her breath as the SUV parked in front of the Wawa store and the engine turned off. Suddenly the pump snapped and Katia jumped in fear. “Shit,” she growled.

Sara ignored it and waited for the driver to get out of the SUV. She suddenly had a grin when the person came around the SUV and it was a tall Maryland State Trooper.

Katia was growling and glaring at the fuel pump. She was about to pull out the nozzle but a sudden elbow in her side stopped her.

“Hey, hey,” whispered Sara.

Katia looked over and her heart dropped.

“Here comes tall, dark and sexy now,” whispered the grinning Sara.

“Sara,” hissed Katia but she suddenly smiled when Ashley came up to them. “Hey,” she greeted.

“Didn’t expect to see you here.” Ashley smiled at her friend then folded her arms over her chest.

“Um… yeah.” Katia laughed but she was uneasy. She didn’t know who made her more nervous, Ashley or Sara with her smirking face. “Had to fuel up my car.”

Ashley nodded. “I can see that.”

“Oh yeah… duh.” Katia laughed as a blush crept up her neck.

“So… who’s this?” The state trooper peered down at Sara.

“I’m Sara,” introduced Sara. She stepped forward and held out her right hand. “Sara Miller… I’m Katia’s lesbian friend.”

Ashley just stared at Sara for a second but she took the younger woman’s hand and shook it. “Ashley Carver… Katia’s personal hero.” She released Sara’s hand.

Sara started to hysterically laugh.

Katia groaned and wanted to sink through the pavement at that very moment. She then decided dying would be a better fate when everybody around the gas station looked at them because of Sara’s loud laughter.

Ashley just grinned and held back her own laughs because she didn’t want to embarrass Katia anymore than she was already.

Sara settled down and grinned. “I like you.”

The state trooper just smirked and folded her arms again. She glanced at Katia, who was busy putting the fuel nozzle back into the pump.

“I’ve heard a bit about you,” continued Sara. “Can I call you Ash?”

Ashley slowly lifted her eyebrow, started nodding her head, then flatly said, “No.”

Katia snickered to herself while she was putting the fuel cap back in place. She snapped the fuel door closed and looked at Ashley. “So Ash, how’s your first day been?” From the corner of her eye, she happily watched Sara’s jaw drop.

“Not bad at all.” Ashley was grinning from ear to ear. She liked how the nickname rolled off Katia’s tongue. She never liked the nickname that much yet somehow it sounded just right coming from Katia. “Speaking of which, I need to keep moving.” Ashley took a few steps away but stopped and looked at Katia, her eyes only focused on the young woman. She noted how Sara was carefully watching her and Katia. “I’ll call you tonight, K.” Her devilish grin appeared as she enjoyed the surprised look from Katia. She turned around and walked back to the Wawa store.

Once Ashley was out of earshot, Sara whispered, “Woooow.”

Katia finally decided to breathe again when her heart almost bursted. “Yeah… wow.”

Sara looked at her friend and looked back at Ashley. “She looks good in uniform.”

“Uhhh.” Katia rubbed the back of her neck. She just stared at Ashley’s retreating figure.

Sara smirked and she gently slapped her friend’s side. “Come on, straight girl. Let’s get out of here.” She walked around to the passenger side of the car. She got into the car and listened to Katia get in too. She kept her eyes on tall, dark and sexy moving through the Wawa. “I’m so tempted to go in there and flirt with her,” joked Sara. “She’s so fuckin’ hot.”

“Sara,” growled Katia. “Leave her alone.”

“Hey don’t stake claims you don’t have,” teased Sara.

“Wait… I forgot my receipt.” Katia got out of the car but not without her car keys and purse. She slammed the door and went to the pump. She pulled the receipt free from the fuel dispenser and she folded it up to put it in her pocket. As she did that, she watched Ashley in the store. “I really wanna talk to her.” She then looked at Sara in the car. “And without her.” She knew if she went in the store Sara would definitely follow her. She then lifted her right hand with the key. An evil expression masked her face.

Sara saw her friend coming back to the door. She grinned then looked back out the front window. Then she furrowed her eyebrows when she heard a funny noise. She looked to her left and saw Katia waving at her through the window. “Get in the car, Katia!”

“I’ll be right back,” called Katia through the window. She then pointed at the black knob on her door. “Don’t try to get out either, Sara. I locked it and the alarm system is set.”

“What?” yelled Sara. “You… Katia!” she screamed when her friend went racing towards the store. “I… I can’t believe she did that. That goddamn straight girl,” she seethed. “And look at her, she’s bouncing all the way because she gets to see that cop and without me,” she growled. “Katia Danforth!” she yelled at the top of her lungs. She suddenly noticed everybody at the other pumps was looking at her like she needed medical attention. She glared at them all and just folded her arms over her chest. “You’re so dead, Katia. Just you wait.”

Katia came into the store and her eyes instantly went to Ashley.

Ashley knew somebody was looking at her. She turned her head and smiled when it was Katia.

Katia smiled back and came over to her friend at the coffee counter.

“Leave Sara behind?”

The college student smirked and said, “I locked her in my car.”

Ashley’s eyes widened and she laughed.

Katia laughed as well. She was grinning as she said, “She’ll kill me too.”

“Mmmm I bet.” Ashley was busy mixing some creamer in her coffee. “How you doing?” she quietly asked.

“Pretty good,” admitted the young woman. She then saw somebody trying to get to the coffee and she stepped aside. “How about you?”

“Real well.” Ashley stepped aside as well when the lady wanted to get the creamers. “Despite the mess at my new house… things aren’t bad.”

“Yeah I bet that must be crazy unpacking and all.”

“Yeah.” Ashley stepped back to the coffee counter and grabbed a lid for her cup. She slipped it on and locked it down. “Especially when it’s just me doing it.”

“Hey, I can come over and help,” offered Katia.

The state trooper smiled and nodded. “I’d like that.” She then quickly changed the subject. “You need anything from in here?”

“Oh yeah… just wanted to grab something to drink.”

Ashley nodded and led her friend to the large cooler area.

“Why’d you start work so soon?” inquired Katia. She was opening one of the cooler doors and reaching for a Brisk Ice Tea.

“Just because they needed the help.” Ashley took a drink from her coffee then lowered it. “But it’s just a half a day. They know I still have a lot of unpacking and settling down to do.”

“Yeah.” Katia was walking along side her friend to the checkout counter. “I’m glad you came,” she quietly said while they waited in line.

“Me too.” Ashley smiled and she received one back from her friend.

Sara was still grumbling in the car. She kept glaring at Katia and Ashley in the cashier’s line. She then muttered, “You’re having too much fun, Katia. Time to break up your little drool fest.” She looked at the door. “I set the alarm,” she mocked in a Katia tone. “Alright I’ll set the alarm off,” she growled. She reached up and grabbed the black knob.

Ashley looked up immediately when she heard the familiar alarm of a Mercedes.

“Oh no,” whispered Katia. She stood on her tiptoes and she could just see out the front windows of the store. She growled when she saw her car’s lights flashing and horn was sounding. “Sara,” she hotly growled.

“Here.” Ashley grabbed the drink from Katia’s hand. “Go take care of your car,” she ordered.

Katia rushed out of the door and fumbled for her car keys from her pockets. She had her angry eyes pinned on Sara in the car.

Sara fell to her side and started laughing. She slammed her foot against the floor and laughed even harder. She then settled down when the alarm stopped then the car door opened and she peered up. A set of very angry forest green eyes locked on her and she just sheepishly grinned. “Welcome back, straight girl.”

Katia didn’t say anything- her expression spoke enough.

“You’re not mad… are you?” joked Sara.

“Sara,” she breathed in a hot tone. “I could… I could really kil-”

“That’s at least 30 years in prison,” cut in a deep, teasing voice.

Sara sighed in relief that Ashley had come to save the day again.

Katia shook her head at Sara and straightened up. “Thanks, Ashley.” She took the drink. “How much I owe you?”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“Ashley-”

“Don’t worry,” repeated Ashley. “Just come over tonight and help me move in… that’s more than enough payment.”

Katia warmly smiled. “Okay.”

Sara rolled her eyes and dropped her head against the window.

“I’ll give you a call when I get off duty.” Ashley walked off after giving her friend a smile.

Sara lifted her head and peered up at Katia through the open door. She noticed how Katia just stared at Ashley from afar. “Come on, Katia… Erin is waiting for us.”

“Yeah… sorry.” Katia tore her gaze from Ashley after Ashley disappeared around the SUV. She got into her car and started it up. She sat there for a second then looked at her friend. “Sara?”

“Mmmm?” Sara was busy putting on her seat belt.

“You think Ashley really is gay?” Katia looked at her friend finally after the Durango pulled out of the parking spot.

Sara glanced at the red SUV then back at her friend. “Yeah… I think so, Katia.”

Katia put on her seat belt. “I mean… your gaydar goes off on her, right?”

The lesbian grinned at her friend yet she went serious again. “Yeah… it does but I’m not even sure.” She felt Katia shift the car into gear and they were headed for the exit onto Route 13. “She’s pretty discreet about it.”

Katia was quiet for a little while since she was focused about getting back onto the highway. Once she got into the south bound, she settled down and continued the conversation. “Last weekend when I was at her place, yah know.”

“Yeah?” encouraged Sara.

“We were at the aquarium on Saturday.”

“Yeah, that’s what you said. What happened?” Sara knew there was something interesting Katia had to tell her.

Katia shrugged and kept her eye on the road. “Well we were in this rain forest area, right?”

“Uh huh.”

“And so I saw these two women and I realized they were gay.” Katia got an acknowledged nod from her friend so she continued with the story. “So I was near Ashley and I started to ask if they were lesbians. But I didn’t quite finish the question.”

“What happened then?” urged Sara.

“Well Ashley said they’re lesbians.” Katia saw the turn for West College Avenue and she took it. “The thing is, Sara it wasn’t like these two lesbians were….”

“Flaming gays?” suggested Sara.

“Yeah, exactly. I mean… you couldn’t really tell unless you had this gaydar thing you talk about.”

Sara chuckled some but nodded her head. “So you think since Ashley picked up on them being lesbians that she has gaydar, right?”

“Right,” agreed Katia. She turned onto Camden Avenue next. “And you told me only gays can have that. Right?”

“Right,” agreed Sara. “Typically that’s the case.”

Katia nodded and said, “And the fact that these two women were so hidden about it, it would take good gaydar to pick up on it.”

“Yeah I understand what you’re saying. It wasn’t just a fluke thing.”

“Exactly.” Katia drove into the student parking and began looking for a parking space. “To me, that tells me she’s gay or she’s a really weird straight person that’s got gaydar.”

Sara licked her lips and bit back her grin. She’d noticed how her friend explained the entire story. Yet Katia neglected to add the equation on her own self since Katia was able to detect the women being gay and here Katia considered herself straight. “Well,” started Sara, “you could just ask Ashley if she is.”

“I know,” whispered Katia. She sighed some but she then sat up some as she pulled into a parking spot. She turned off her car after parking it and she looked at her friend. “I’m kinda scared to ask her, honestly.”

“Why?” Sara shrugged. “I mean… you have Mike and I as friends and we’re both gay.”

“I know… but it’s different,” countered Katia.

“How?” asked Sara, she was really curious about that.

“It’s just….” Katia sighed and shook her head. She stared down at her dash. “Just Ashley and I have a different friendship compared to what I have with you and Mike.” She then lifted her eyes to Sara. “Plus I don’t want to make Ashley feel uncomfortable. She might not be ready to tell me, yah know.”

“That’s true,” agreed Sara. “Did she notice that you picked up on her spotting the lesbians?”

“Yeah I think she did.” Katia pulled her car keys out of the ignition. “I think she’s scared it’ll change our friendship if I found out.”

Sara huffed and opened the car door. Before she got out, she said, “I don’t know… she might not think that now after she met me.”

Katia chuckled but she hadn’t taken that into consideration. “True.” She got out of the car as well and she made sure to grab her purse and drink from the floor under her seat. “What time is it?” she muttered.

“I think around noon,” replied Sara. She was busy unwrapping her pack of cigarettes.

Katia was looking at her Fossil watch and nodded her head. “It feels like four in the afternoon.”

“Mmm that’s 'cause you were up so early taking Mike over.”

“Yeah,” agreed Katia. She then noted Sara sat down on the steps of their dorm. “Not coming up?”

“Nah.” Sara pulled out a lighter from her pocket. “Can you tell Erin to come down?”

“Yeah sure.” Katia smiled and went into the dorm. When she entered into her room, she found Erin still in her bed and watching television.

“Where’s Sara?” curiously asked Erin.

“She’s waiting outside for you.”

Erin chuckled and rolled out of the bed. “Smoking huh?”

“Yeah.” Katia shook her head and sat down at her desk. “She needs to break that habit.”

“She’s slowing down, I’ve noticed.” Erin was tying her shoes on but looking up at her roommate. “I’ve been trying to get her to quit.”

“Try harder,” joked Katia.

“I would if I could.” Erin stood up and walked over to the television. She turned it off and moved to the door. “I’ll see you later, Katia.”

“Yeah.” Katia was busy pulling books from her book bag. “Oh hey.”

Erin stopped halfway out of the door. She looked back with a curious expression.

“I’ll probably be at Ashley’s this afternoon.”

Erin grinned as she brushed back curly locks of hair. “I see.”

Katia rolled her eyes and slammed her chemistry book onto her desk. “She asked me to help her move in.”

“Yeah I bet.” The roommate winked and started to leave again. “I’ll see you tonight.”

“Alright. Bye, Erin.”

“See yah, Katia.” Erin shut the door and quietly left the cluster.

Katia looked at her chemistry book, and after a heavy sigh, she opened it and with her notebook. She began working on her homework for the next hour or so. Then her concentration was broken by her cell phone ringing in her purse. Katia jumped and frantically went to her bed to grab her purse where she’d thrown it earlier. She pulled out her cell phone and flipped it open. “Hello?”

“Hey, Katia.”

Katia smiled and took a deep breath. She sat down on her bed. “How are you?”

“Pretty good. I’m just got off duty so I’m headed home now.”

The college student’s smile started to shift into a grin. “Where do you live… now?”

Ashley chuckled. She was sitting in her car and had already started it up. She was busy buckling her seat belt as she talked to Katia. “Go west on route 50 and I’m near Mardela Springs.”

“Oh yeah, I know that small town.”

“Well, I’m on the north side. You have to take Route 313 on the right. Its also called Sharptown Road and I’m about maybe a half a mile down there.”

Katia stood up and walked over to her desk. “Okay. I’ll call if I get lost.”

The state trooper smirked. “You’ve been here longer than I have. I’d hope you’d know your way around.”

“You’d think so huh?” joked Katia. “I’ll see you soon.”

“Alright. Bye.”

“Bye, Ash.”

Ashley faintly grinned after closing her cell phone. “Ash huh?” She shook her head and put her car into drive. She left the police barracks and made her way home.

Katia had grabbed her purse and was already out the door. She went racing down the hall then down stairs. Within a minute, she made it to her car and got into it. After she got it started, she made a right onto Camden Avenue as well as West College Avenue. Once getting onto Route 13, she followed onto Route 50 west as Ashley had told her.

As she drove along Route 50, she expected to see a red Mercedes and about a mile down the four-lane highway, a C230 came up behind her. Katia grinned and decided to play with her friend. She turned her blinker on and went into the left lane.

Ashley smirked and sped her car up to even out beside Katia.

Katia glanced over and grinned in response. “Come on, Ashley. Let’s see what that little four cylinder can do.” She looked back across and saw Ashley was smirking at her. Then suddenly Ashley was gone. “Shit,” she hissed and stepped on the gas. “What a cheat!” She checked her speed and she was pushing seventy-five. She looked up and realized Ashley was going faster. “Oh my god and she’s the cop.” She laughed and pushed her gas harder. Her 190E started to climb up to eighty.

Ashley glanced in her rear view mirror and saw Katia coming up on her. “Come on, Katia. I know that old thing has speed.” She turned her head to the left and waved at her friend.

Katia stuck her tongue out really quickly then returned her attention to her driving.

Ashley shook her head. She then saw the sign for the Route 313 and she quickly slowed down.

Katia realized what was going on so she pulled her foot off the gas. She went slower than Ashley and fell in behind the state trooper’s car.

Ashley began to push on her brake when she saw the turn off for Sharptown Road. She turned her blinker on and shifted into the small ramp.

Katia followed behind and stayed behind Ashley as they travelled north on 313. Yet it wasn’t long before the state trooper put her left turn signal on and crossed the lane of traffic.

Katia turned into the driveway as well and grinned at Ashley’s new house. “Not bad.” She also noticed the two large U-Haul trucks parked along the side of the road.

Ashley touched the garage button on her sun visor and the garage door rolled up. She drove her car in then hit the button again, the door went back down.

Katia, however, parked her car in the long driveway and turned it off. She climbed out of her car right when her friend walked out of a side door from the garage.

“Nice run there,” teased Ashley. She was closing the door of the garage.

Katia stood beside her car and just grinned. She tilted her head to the side some and for the first time really, Katia took in what Ashley looked like as a state trooper. She liked the dark forest almost olive pants that Ashley wore and they had a black stripe running down on either side. Ashley’s uniform shirt was a long-sleeve button up and a tradition grey with two pockets on either side of the chest. On the left sleeve was a patch of the Maryland seal. Her gold badge was pinned over her left chest while her golden nametag was on the right chest and an ink pen protruded from her right chest pocket. The black, double-prong belt around her waist was thick and strapped around it were items such as Ashley’s gun, mace, keys, and cell phone.

Ashley noted how her friend was just standing there, staring at her. “Katia?”

Katia broke out of her trance and she shyly looked up at the state trooper. “Sorry.” She came up to her friend but not without memorizing the image of Ashley dressed in uniform.

The officer shook her head and walked off to her right onto the pathway to the front of the house. “Come on.”

Katia followed behind and noted in Ashley’s right hand was her khaki coloured trooper hat. Her eyes then shifted to Ashley’s back and she suddenly blushed when she realized she had a perfect view of Ashley’s ass.

Ashley went to the front door and pulled her keys from their latched spot at her side. She held onto the house key from the ring and inserted it into the door knob.

Katia though had turned around some so she wouldn’t be staring at certain aspects of Ashley’s body. She was taking a few deep breaths, trying to remove an unexpected heat from her face. Luckily the cool fall day was helping her.

“Come on, Katia.” The state trooper was waiting in the doorway of her house. She’d noticed how funny her friend was acting now.

“Sorry,” apologized Katia yet again. She quickly stepped into the house. She began to smile as she looked around in the first room.

Ashley stepped aside to let her friend get a better view. “So this will probably be my dinning room.”

The college student nodded her head in approval. She stepped past her friend and looked down at the rugged floor. She then looked up again and decided she liked how the dinning room and kitchen were together since the kitchen was straight ahead and the only separation between the rooms was the wrap around counter.

“I was thinking about taking up this rug and putting hard wood floors down,” mentioned Ashley. She stepped up beside her friend.

“Yeah I would,” agreed Katia. “What’s on the kitchen floor?”

“Tiling of bricks.”

The younger woman leaned to her left some and peered between the opening between the wall and the counter. “Oh yeah.” She peered up at Ashley. “Make that wood too?”

“Yeah,” agreed Ashley. She then turned to her right. “Over there is the living room.”

The smaller woman turned and took a few steps more into the dinning room, which turned into the living room.

The officer came back to Katia’s side. “I think I’ll put the tv and couch there.” She pointed at the large window.

“Yeah since you primarily watch tv at night and that window….” Katia pointed at the window. “That’s west right?”

“Yeah so the sun will shine on the back of the tv in the afternoon.”

“Then you don’t have to worry about light on the tv screen,” summed up Katia. She then looked away from that window and saw a sliding door. “Is that a porch?”

“Yup.”

Katia grinned and took her friend’s hand. “Show me that.” She started for the sliding glass door.

The officer laughed and reached for the handle when they were close enough. She opened the door and let her younger friend through first.

The pair stepped out onto the large porch that over looked a lawn that eventually turned into a forest.

“Wow,” whispered Katia. She released her friend’s hand and stepped to the edge of the porch. “Nice and open.” She noted the small shed set off to the right of the lawn.

“I think it needs a garden or trees,” spoked up Ashley.

“Yeah… it needs something,” agreed Katia. She put her hands on her hips. She then spun around and pointed to her right. “Grill goes there.”

The trooper glanced over, she grinned.

“Rocking chairs there,” continued Katia, she was now pointing slightly to the left of the imaginary grill. “Then….” She pressed her lips together and pointed at the spot where Ashley stood. “Table and chairs there.”

The older woman shook her head. “You’d think you were moving in.”

Katia laughed and came back to her friend’s side. “Just suggesting, yah know.”

Ashley huffed yet she was grinning. She turned around and went back into the house. When she heard her friend close the door, she started back towards the kitchen where there was a long hallway. “Down here are all the rooms.”

“How many?”

“Well there’s three bedrooms and two bathrooms.”

“Two bathrooms?” repeated Katia. “Wow.”

Ashley opened the first door to the right. “Well my bedroom, the master bedroom, has a bathroom attached to it.” She stood in the doorway but pointed to the end of the hall. “That’s the bathroom for the rest.”

“Oh okay.” The college student nodded her understanding. She then stepped into Ashley’s room after Ashley. As soon as she was in it, she quickly realized the bedroom was rather large. “Definitely a master bedroom.”

“Yeah it is,” agreed Ashley.

Katia then giggled when she noticed Ashley had only managed to get in her bed’s mattress and box spring into the room.

“Yeah I know,” sighed Ashley. “I was too tired to fight with the bed frame. And that’ll be the first thing we’re going to move in.”

“And the couch,” muttered Katia.

The state trooper grinned as she went into the bathroom. “I need to get out of uniform.”

“No rush,” called the college student. She went over to the bed and sat on it and for once she was able to touch her feet on the floor from Ashley’s bed. “I take it those U-Hauls have all your stuff?”

“Yeah,” called Ashley from the bathroom. “One has all the furniture and the other one has mostly this and that.” There was a pause then Ashley continued to talk. “I packed my car with most of my stuff from my bedroom.”

“You mean with the clothes and stuff?” called Katia. She stood up from the bed and saw the doors to a closet. She went over to it and opened it.

“Yeah, pretty much.”

Katia chuckled as she stood there staring at all of Ashley’s clothes inside of the closet. Some of it was hanging up already and some of it was neatly folded and resting on the floor. She quickly closed it and went back to the bed. “How much you think we’ll get done today?”

“I hope more than I did last night.”

The college student smirked and said, “Well considering things… I don’t think that’ll be a problem.”

“Thanks, smartass,” stated Ashley from the doorway of the bathroom.

Katia looked over and grinned at her older friend. “Oh look, you’re in civilian clothes.” That was when Katia decided she really liked Ashley’s blue eyes after she’d just rolled them at her.

“Come on, let’s get this done.” Ashley was already heading out of the bedroom.

Katia bounced up onto her feet and quickly followed behind. “What’s first?”

“I think the furniture,” replied Ashley. She propped open the front door of the house.

“Sounds good.” Katia followed Ashley out of the house and across the front lawn. “Is there an attic or anything?”

“Yeah there’s a small one over the bedrooms. There’s also a bit of a basement but you have to go in from that side of the house.” Ashley spun around, walked backwards, and pointed to the left side of the house.

Katia glanced that way then looked back to see Ashley had already turned back around.

“Okay, let me get the ramp down first.” Ashley was at the back of the first U-Haul truck. She was unlocking the door.

“Did you make three trips from Hunt Valley to here?”

“No actually….” Ashley took a deep breath and pushed the door up; the door began to roll up. “A couple of buddies of mine from the station drove these here and I drove my car.” She jumped up onto the small platform and pushed the door up the rest of the way. “So that made things easier.”

“Yeah I bet,” agreed Katia. She then helped her friend get the large metal ramp down so it’d be easier to unload everything.

It was then that the pair were taking things out of the U-Haul and taking them across the lawn then finally into the house. They first started with Ashley’s bedroom furniture with such things as her bed frame, dresser, and a set of chairs with her nightstand. Before they pulled anymore furniture out of the U-Haul, they made sure to erect the bed frame and put the box spring and mattress on top.

After about half an hour of bringing in the bedroom furniture, they started to tackle the dining room table. The most trouble they had was manoeuvring it through the front door but once they had it inside, it was easy to place it in the centre of the dining room. Next came the computer desk and filing cabinet originally from Ashley’s office. They placed all those items in the room across from Ashley’s bedroom. Then the last bit of furniture they unloaded from the U-Haul was the tv stand, two small sofa chairs, and the large couch.

Katia and Ashley had already gotten the smaller pieces in including the tv on top of the tv stand. They were currently carrying the large sofa across the front lawn.

“Ashley… I’m not sure… I can carry thisss thing much… more.”

“Come on,” urged the officer. “We’re almost there.”

Katia had her back to the house. She glanced over her shoulder and groaned. “Yeah right.”

“Well I’m not about ready to….” Ashley took a deep breath and gripped the sofa arm harder. “Drop this white sofa in the grass,” she growled.

The smaller woman groaned but kept moving and tried to go faster. She eventually came to the door and with a little luck and Ashley’s help; she was able to fit it through the door. “Right… there?”

“A little more back,” ordered Ashley.

“Here?”

“No, more for-”

“Ashley,” hissed Katia. “Pick a damn spot.”

The state trooper smirked and suddenly dropped her end. “Right there.”

Katia let go and jumped back some not to smash her feet. She then came around the sofa and fell into it. “Oh my god,” she moaned and dropped her head back.

Ashley smirked and sat down at her end of the sofa. “It wasn’t that bad.”

The college student briefly glared at her friend then rolled her head back and closed her eyes. “I don’t work out like you,” she reminded. “Nor does it help to have a six foot woman lifting the other end.”

Ashley softly laughed and lowered her head against the back of the sofa. Even she was taking several deep breaths to calm her racing heart.

Katia took a deep breath then asked, “So what’d you think of Sara?”

“She was… something,” replied Ashley. “How long have you known her for?”

“Well….” Katia thought about it. “I met her through Erin… she’s my roommate. And I think that was near the end of the Spring semester.”

“Is Erin your age?” inquired Ashley.

“Yeah she is but she’s already a sophomore by her credits. Since I started in the spring semester last year, I’m behind by one.” Katia lifted her head and started pushing her shoes off with her feet.

“Why’d you start late?”

The college student sighed but smiled some once her shoes were off. “I had to work to get money together for school. So I worked until I saved up enough. I mean… I have a scholarship but it doesn’t cover everything.”

Ashley briefly glanced at her friend then closed her eyes again. “At least it makes it easier.”

“Yeah it does,” agreed Katia. She then moved and decided to take the rest of the couch up. She lay down and rested her head right beside Ashley’s left leg. She contently sighed and shut her eyes. “You’ll have to meet Erin too… and Mike. They all want to meet you.”

“Oh great,” joked Ashley. She peered down and smiled at how her friend was relaxing.

Katia opened her eyes and found blue eyes studying her. “Mike… he’s also gay.”

“Oh?” asked the curious officer.

The younger woman chuckled and closed her eyes. “Yeah he is. I swear though, the way he hangs on me makes me think otherwise.”

Ashley grinned some. She rested her head against the sofa and closed her eyes as well. She shifted her left hand some and gradually began to run her fingers through Katia’s short blond hair. “Are a lot of your friends gay?”

“Well… other than Mike and Sara no not really.” Katia’s eyebrows furrowed together. “As best as I can tell. I mean Mike, Sara, and Erin I’m closest too. There some others I hang out with or just know but I’m not as close with them.” She then shrugged. “Like I said, the rest are all straight.” After Katia said that, she then finally noticed Ashley was playing with her hair, it made her smile.

“And Erin is straight?” probed the officer.

“Yeah… I mean as far as I know.” Katia chewed on the inside of her mouth some. “But there is something weird going on between her and Sara.”

“What you mean?”

“I don’t know but… the two of them have been hanging out together all the time.” Katia opened her eyes. “Granted they always have but I mean… Erin will sleep over at Sara’s room sometimes. I think they’re even thinking of getting an off campus apartment together.”

Ashley grinned and said, “So just because they’re hanging out together a lot means they’re a… couple?”

“To be honest, it's just weird. I mean like today before Sara and I went to the Wawa, right?”

“Uh huh.”

“Well when Sara and I were leaving the room. Sara calls Erin by a nickname… Er. I’ve never heard Erin called that before.”

Ashley quietly chuckled.

“Besides that, normally Erin and I go out to parties together. We do our guy hunting thing and try to pick up.” Katia dramatically sighed. “We haven’t done that this semester. She and Sara are together all the time.”

“So?” urged Ashley. “Katia, you and I spend a lot of time together.”

The college student huffed. “That’s different.”

“How’s that?” argued the older woman. “We’re always hanging out together. Hell… Sara and Erin might be thinking the same thing about you and me if we go by your rules.”

“That’s so untrue,” protested Katia. “And they know that.”

“Then how can you be so sure Sara and Erin are girlfriends?”

“Because….” Katia sighed and tried to come up with some point. “I just know,” she stated.

Ashley grinned and looked down at her friend. “Why don’t you just ask them?”

Katia opened her eyes and replied, “Because I did… well I asked Sara.”

“What’d she say?”

“She looked at me like I had three heads and said she couldn’t shake a ten foot pole at Erin if she tried.” Katia shrugged and closed her eyes again. “I still say something is going on between them.”

Ashley just grinned to herself. She continued to run her fingers through Katia’s soft blond hair. “Maybe they are… maybe they’re not. Just let them be.”

Slowly a grin creased Katia’s lips. “Yeah I know. Erin would or will tell me in a good time.” She contently sighed and began to enjoy Ashley playing with her hair. Then a thought occurred to her. “Ashley?”

“Hmmm?”

“You don’t mind me calling you Ash?” Katia opened her eyes and already found soft blue ones looking down at her. “Do you?”

“No… its fine,” assured the older woman. Ashley began to smile and she watched as Katia smiled back to her. She dropped her head back against the couch as her smile went into a grin. “If you don’t mind me calling you K…?”

Katia giggled some while shutting her eyes. “No… that’s fine too.”

“Good to hear.” Ashley suddenly ruffled her friend’s hair, making a mess of it. She heard Katia growl at her but she was already jumping out of the couch.

“Where are you going?” protested the smaller woman. Katia had rolled onto her stomach and peered up at the officer.

“To find food. Feel like coming?” Ashley glanced back and flashed a quick grin.

Katia smiled and sat up. She had to get her shoes on first. “I’ll drive,” she called.

Ashley was headed into her bedroom to get her wallet and few other things. “Sounds good,” she hollered back. “What you feel like?”

“Let’s do pizza. We’ll go to Lombardi’s Pizza.” Katia looked up after tying her Sketcher shoes.

“That works,” agreed Ashley. “Let’s go, K.” She was headed to the door.

Katia jumped to her feet and rushed after her friend. She went out the open door and Ashley stepped out last to lock the door. “What time is it?”

“Five I think,” replied Ashley. She turned around and walked down the pathway beside her friend.

“Good because by the time we’re done, I’ll need to work on my homework.”

“Have a lot?” inquired the officer.

“Not too bad. I finished my chemistry before you called.”

Ashley nodded her head in approval. She opened the passenger door on Katia’s car. As she got in, she moved Katia's purse off the seat and placed it on the floor.

Katia got into her car and started it up. After she heard Ashley close the door, she buckled in and reversed her car out of the long driveway. “Oh guess what?”

“What?”

“I meant to mention this but of course we weren’t in touch for a couple of days there.”

“And?” urged the cop.

Katia chuckled but she didn’t reply as she focused on backing up onto the road. Once she put her car into drive, she finally explained the rest of it. “Back on Thursday I applied for a job at the computer centre.”

“Really? How’d that go?”

“Pretty well. I started Friday because they really needed the help.”

“I didn’t know you were good with computers,” casually mentioned Ashley.

Katia nodded and glanced at her friend. “Pretty good, yeah. I figured I’d put my talent to use and get paid for it.”

The state trooper grinned then asked, “How much is the pay?”

“Not that bad actually, considering it’s school pay. I’m getting seven dollars an hour.”

“Wow.” Ashley nodded a few times. “Guess they really needed the help,” she teased.

“Funnnnyyyy.” Katia rolled her eyes but she went serious as she merged onto Route 50. “At least that’ll give me some money now. I actually have to proctor a lab next weekend.”

“That sucks,” complained Ashley.

The college student chuckled. “Well, I have to do it once a month so it's not that bad.”

“Mmmm.” Suddenly Ashley furrowed her eyebrows. “Damn… that reminds me next weekend I won’t be around.”

“No?”

The state trooper shook her head. “I’ll be here Friday but on Saturday morning I have to leave.”

“Where to?”

Ashley sighed and stretched her legs out some. “I have to go in for service. It’s my weekend.”

“Wait, you’re still in the Army?”

Ashley faintly nodded. “Once a month I have to go in for duty. I typically go on the last week.”

“So you’re in the Army Reserve, right?”

“Yeah, I was in the service for two then I decided to do Reserve.”

“Huh… I didn’t know that.”

Ashley grinned at her friend. “Now you do.”

“So you have to be in uniform, right?”

“Yessss,” drew at the state trooper. “Why?”

“Oh no reason.” Katia shyly smiled then returned her focus to the road. “I just can’t imagine you in army fatigue.”

The older woman quietly laughed and smiled to herself. “I think I prefer my trooper uniform over the camouflage look.”

Katia giggled some. “The trooper uniform suits you,” she commented.

“Oh?” Ashley turned her head to her friend and grinned. “How’s that?”

“It… just does.” Katia was trying not to get embarrassed or shy. “I like you in uniform.”

“Well I’m so glad I have your approval,” teased the older woman.

“Hey, you asked,” reminded the college student. She was now grinning from ear to ear.

“I did,” agreed the state trooper.

Soon after the pair arrived at the restaurant and went inside for their early dinner. It didn’t take them long to get their pizza ordered then after they ate and paid the bill, they headed back to Ashley’s. Katia dropped her friend off at home but not without giving her goodbye hug. It was a little before eight o’clock that Katia finally made it back to the dorm.

When she came to the door of her room, she found it locked and she pulled out her key. As she began to put the key into the lock, she could make out the sounds of the television on in her room. “Weird,” she muttered.

Katia turned the key, the locked popped, and she began to open the door. When she had the door cracked open, she heard a large boom in the dark bedroom.

“Erin,” hissed Sara.

Katia could just make out her two friends lit up by the television screen. “What are you two doing?”

“Sara was being a pain in the ass,” commented Erin. “She kept taking up my bed.”

Sara was sitting on her butt on the floor. She glared up at Erin. “Well excuse me, my queen.”

Erin looked down at her friend and smirked. “That’s what you get.”

Katia shook her head and walked over to her desk. “Why didn’t you just lay on my bed, Sara?”

“I told her not to,” quickly answered the roommate. “I know how you are about people in your bed.”

“Yeah if they mess up my sheets.”

“Which Sara would do.”

Sara sighed and finally got up to her feet. “You mind if I sit on your bed, K? Errr I mean, Kaaatiaaa.”

Katia was now glaring at Sara. “Not after calling me K.”

Sara pouted.

“I heard about that,” cut in Erin. “She calls you K now, huh?”

Katia rolled her eyes at Erin’s grinning face. She put her purse up on the desk and walked over to her bed. She sat down and patted the spot beside her as an invite to Sara. “Yeah she does.”

Sara sat down beside her friend and contently sighed. “And Katia can call Ashley Ash now too.”

“You sure there isn’t a little something, something going on between you and Ashley, Katia?” teased Erin.

“Erin,” growled the roommate. “Come on, I thought you were on my side.”

“I am.” Erin grinned and said, “As a matter of fact, you can prove to everybody that something isn’t going on.”

“Oh boy… how’s that?” Katia put her hands behind her and leaned back onto them on her bed.

“There’s a party Friday, we’re all invited.”

Sara sighed and shook her head. “I hate straight parties.”

“I don’t care, you’re coming too, Sara.”

“I wish I was com….” Sara fell short on her smartass remark when she got a very nasty look from Erin.

Katia snickered and asked, “Where is it?”

“Over at Haley’s place.”

“She invited us?” quipped Katia.

“Yeah she and Shanarah are doing it. Sara and I were talking to Shanarah earlier.”

“That’s how you heard huh?”

Erin nodded at Katia’s question. “So it should be a good party.”

“Yeah Haley does good parties,” agreed Sara. “Even I’ll admit.”

Erin grinned at Sara then her grin broadened as she looked to Katia. “Maybe we can find you somebody to hook up with.”

Katia started to nod her head. “I’m gamed. I need a boyfriend.”

“Shit you need to get laid,” protested Sara. “Girl, you’ve been so uptight and hung up on this cop.”

“No I haven’t,” argued Katia.

Sara gave her a huge sceptic look. “Katia, you suck at playing straight girl. Let me tell you, you’ve been drooling and-” Suddenly she was cut off when a pillow slammed into her face.

“Leave her alone, Sara,” ordered Erin. “You give her enough crap as it is.”

Sara gave a dirty look at her friend. “Hey it's not my fault if she’s straight and hung up on a gay cop.” She jumped to her feet and came over to Erin.

“Yeah well us straight gals need time to figure these things out,” growled Erin. She was staring up at a smirking Sara.

Katia just shook her head and watched the two of them.

Sara growled yet she grinned as she jumped into the bed with Erin.

Erin rebelled and rolled her friend away and into the wall her bed was set against.

Sara groaned when her body slammed into the bed. “Thanks,” she muttered and flopped back into the bed.

“And give me that.” Erin took her pillow back and put it under her head. She looked over at her amused roommate. “Anyway, you, Sara and I are going. Alright?”

“Fine. What about Mike?”

“I haven’t talked to him yet. I think he’ll come too.”

“Cool it sounds good to me.” Katia stood up and went to her desk.

“You need to do your homework, Katia?” asked the roommate.

“Yeah actually.”

Erin exchanged a look with Sara then looked back at Katia’s back. “Need the tv off?”

“No, no,” protested Katia. “I’ll be fine. I don’t have much to do.”

“Alright.” Erin sighed and looked at the television. She noted Sara snuggling up beside her and she gave her friend a warning look.

Sara huffed and just looked at the television at the foot of the bed. “No fun,” she whispered.

“I know,” teased back Erin.

Katia pulled out her English homework, which also required her laptop too. She began typing up a brief 5-paragraph essay that was due tomorrow. After she finished her work, she called up Ashley but not without leaving the bedroom to get some privacy. She only talked to Ashley for about a half an hour since both of them were tired. Ashley thanked her for the help and told her she planned to finish the rest all day tomorrow. Katia promised she’d stop over this week for a visit if she had time.

But as Katia got off the phone with Ashley, she began to wonder when she would have time to see Ashley again. She knew this would be a busy week between her new job and classes. Also Ashley would be gone this weekend and she’d be proctoring the computer lab. With a sad sigh, Katia went back into her room and got ready for bed. She finally gotten into bed around ten-thirty and it was about that time that Sara quietly left to go back to her dorm.

Katia and Erin were soon in bed. And it took Katia a good hour to fall asleep. She thought too much about Ashley and as well as Erin and Sara. So many things confused her and almost frustrated her. After finally pushing her thoughts away, Katia began to fall asleep for a night of restless sleep.

**To be continued.**


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Katia stretched her legs out under the desk until her feet almost touched the desk in front of her. She bit back a yawn and looked to her left.

Erin corked an eyebrow at her roommate when she saw Katia looking at her. “Pay attention,” she whispered.

Katia grumbled but looked back at the Professor down on the ground floor of the auditorium. “I like this class,” she commented.

“That’s because you already know everything,” quietly joked Erin. She returned to her note taking on what the Professor was lecturing about. “This is the last class and we’re free.”

“Thank god,” muttered Katia. She focused on her note taking again. “You know, I don’t know everything about the Chesapeake Bay.”

“Okay so you missed out on the oysters, big deal,” teased Erin. “It's still a good class.”

“It is,” agreed Katia. She sighed some but continued with her notes. “What time is the party tonight?”

“I think its starts around eight,” quietly replied Erin.

The Professor suddenly stopped and looked at both Katia and Erin. “Ahem… as I was saying, the puddle ducks are not much different than prostitutes. They’ll sleep with anything and have their nest anywhere.”

Katia giggled and looked at Erin.

Erin shook her head. “Sometimes I wonder about this professor.”

“Some sick jokes, I’ll agree,” muttered Katia. She licked her lips but continued writing. “Mike is coming too?”

“Yeah,” answered Erin. She then looked at her watch. “Five minutes.”

“Six by my watch.”

“Well it doesn’t matter because we go by that clock.” Erin pointed, with her pencil, at the clock at the bottom of the auditorium.

“Argh that’s seven minutes,” whined Katia.

“We’ll make it,” teased Erin. “Maybe.”

Katia chuckled but remained quiet for the rest of the seven minutes. At the end of the lecture, they both jumped out of their seats and hurried across campus to their dorm.

“Hello, ladies,” greeted Sara. She strolled up to their sides, a cigarette in her right hand.

“Get that away from me,” ordered Erin.

Sara smirked and took a drag on her cigarette. “Come on, baby… kiss me.”

Erin rolled her eyes and walked faster.

Katia snickered and came closer to Sara’s side. “You’re gonna lose Erin over your cigarettes.”

“Well at least I can put my lips on these,” almost yelled Sara.

Erin glanced back and threw a dirty look at Sara.

Sara just grinned and lifted her cigarette back up to her lips. “So how was class?” she muttered between her cigarette.

“Well we learned that puddle ducks are prostitutes.”

Sara laughed as she blew the smoke out between her lips. “And what are mute swans? Rapists?”

“Probably are to Dr. Manson.”

Sara shook her head and threw her cigarette butt on the ground. She stepped on it as she passed by it.

“You know, that’s called littering,” announced Katia.

“So fine me,” joked Sara.

Katia smirked and said, “I’ll let Ashley know.”

Erin slowed down and rejoined the group now that Sara finished her cigarette. “Have you heard from her?”

“Not really,” answered Katia. “She’s been busy and so have I.”

“Well I guess you’ll see her this weekend.”

“Actually no.” Katia sighed and looked at Erin. “She’s has to report for duty.”

“She’s in the service?” cut in Sara.

Katia nodded her head. “Yeah, in the reserves so she said she’s leaving Saturday morning. I think she’s working late tonight and that’s why she can’t go tonight.”

“That bites,” complained Sara.

“Yeah it does,” agreed Katia. “And not like I could do much anyway. Saturday and Sunday I’m in charge of the computer lab.”

Sara shook her head. “Sorry for your luck.”

“Don’t worry, we’ll have a good time tonight,” reminded Erin.

“Oh, wait.” Katia laughed and her grin appeared as she looked to Erin. “You see that guy in the bay class?”

“You mean the class we were just in?” inquired Erin.

“Yyyyeah.” Katia went up the steps of the dorm with her friends. “He’s one row ahead and like… three maybe five seats to the left.”

Erin thought about it and tried to recall the person that sat there. “Oh wait, you mean Bobby!” She grabbed the door and opened it for her friends.

Katia went in first but called, “He’s got that crew cut, blond hair.”

“Yup, that’s Bobby.” Erin came in after Sara stepped into the dorm.

“Bobby? You mean Calvert County Bobby?” piped in Sara.

“That’s him,” confirmed Erin.

“You know him, Sara?” Katia had pushed open the door to the stairwell.

“Yeah he’s in my biology group. He’s a cool guy.” Sara grinned then asked, “You interested in him, Katia?”

“He is cute,” mentioned Erin aloud.

Sara looked behind and gave Erin a mean look.

Erin chuckled and continued up the stairs with her friends.

“Yeah I like him,” stated Katia. “I haven’t met him though.”

Sara quickly moved and wrapped her arm around Katia’s waist. “Not to worry, babe. I’ll hook you up with him.” She grabbed the door to the hallway.

Erin rolled her eyes and stepped around them and went into the hall.

“You know him that well?” Katia raised an eyebrow at her gay friend.

“Me and Bobby?” Sara grinned and walked through the doorway with Katia still in her left arm. “We’re close, real close.” She winked. “Not too worry, Katia. And know what else?”

“I’m afraid to ask,” joked Katia.

Sara smirked and tugged Katia in closer. “He’s coming to the party tonight.”

“Is he?” Erin stopped and turned around. “He’ll be there?”

“Yup,” replied Sara. “He and I were talkin’ in class and we got on that topic.”

“Perfect,” whispered Erin. She grinned at Katia.

Katia began to smile but more shy than anything.

“See?” Sara squeezed her friend’s side. “Erin and I will get it all set up for you. Not to worry, Katia. By the end of the party, you’ll be wrapped tight in his arms.”

Katia laughed and rolled her eyes. She moved out of her friend’s embrace when they came to the bedroom. “What about you, Erin? You know we haven’t done any hunting in awhile.”

Erin chuckled as she entered the bedroom. She tossed her books onto her desk. “Yeah I know. I’m not quite interested in a relationship,” she quietly admitted.

“Uh huh.” Katia raised an eyebrow at Erin then glanced at Sara.

“What?” asked the confused lesbian. “Did I miss something here?”

Katia shook her head at her friend. “No you sure didn’t, did you?”

“Ha, ha Katia. You’re always the smartass,” teased Sara.

Katia smirked and sat down at her desk. “Personally, I think I’m gonna get a nap before the party. I only had a couple of hours of sleep last night.”

“Well Sara and I will exit then.” Erin shifted to Sara’s side. “We’ll be back around seven, alright?”

“Sounds good, wake me if I ain’t up.” Katia yawned and bent forward to untie her shoes.

“See yah, Katia.” Erin left her room and dragged Sara out.

“Sleep well, Katia,” called Sara as she closed the door.

“Bye!” hollered Katia through the closed door. She stared at the door for the second then shook her head. “Those two are quite a pair,” she muttered. She then climbed into her bed, not caring about the fact she was still in her regular clothes. She pulled her pillow in, curled up, and began to fall asleep.

***

“Katia!” squealed Shanarah. “Its so good too see you, girl.” She jumped forward and hugged her friend.

“Hey, Shanarah.” Katia tightly hugged her friend back after just getting into Haley and Shanarah’s small house. “Sorry I haven’t been around.”

“It’s a’right, girl.” Shanarah warmly smiled. “I know you’ve been busy with this new friend of yours.”

“Oh god, you heard too?”

The African-American smirked and folded her arms over her chest. “Honey, I know all. Let me tell you.”

“Actually don’t,” joked Katia. She then stepped aside when Sara, Erin, and Mike came into the house.

“Girls!” greeted Shanarah. She then smirked and looked at Mike. “All four of you.”

“Oh funny, Shanarah.” Mike rolled his eyes. “And here we were barring gifts for the party. I don’t mind taking them back.”

“Oh no, honey bring them in ‘ere.” Shanarah smiled when Mike held up a case of Yuengling and case of Magic Hat #9. “Now Mike, you shouldn’t have.”

“He didn't,” cut in Erin, “he isn’t old enough yet.”

Shanarah chuckled and smiled at Erin. “I imagine it was you, huh?”

“I’m the only twenty-one year old in this group,” reminded Erin. She stepped forward and hugged her friend. “Where’s Haley?”

“Oh she’s around. She’s been going around saying hi to everybody.”

“A lot of people here?” cut in Katia.

“Yeah there are already.” Shanarah then looked at Mike. “Follow me, honey. I’ll show you where you can put those.”

“Lead the way.” Mike stepped around his friends and followed Shanarah threw the various rooms.

“A lot of people already,” commented Sara.

Erin grinned. “Let’s mingle.” She took both of her friend’s hands and dragged them into the living room where there were around a dozen people.

“Personally I just want a beer,” complained Sara.

“I’ll get yah one.” Erin released her friends and headed to the large table across the room that had all the drinks.

“Katia?”

Katia turned to the feminie voice that called her. She instantly smiled. “Beth, how are yah?”

“I’m good and you?” Beth approached her friend. She was a little taller than Katia and had long almost bleach blond hair. Her cheeks were chubby and her lips big.

“Pretty good.” Katia then realized Beth hadn’t met Sara. “Oh, I’m sorry. Beth, this is my closest friend, Sara Miller.”

Beth turned to Sara and arched an eyebrow at her. “I’ve heard of you.”

“I’m sure it’s all good,” joked Sara but her eyes were cold. She already didn’t like this girl.

“Hmmmm.” Beth lifted her plastic cup full of beer and took a brief drink. As she lowered it again, she said, “I heard you’re close with Erin too.”

“She is,” cut in a deep voice.

Beth quickly turned and found Erin had emerged at her side. “Erin! Its great to see you.”

“Hi, Beth.” Erin handed Sara a drink and held the other one out to Katia.

Katia was about to take it but then refused it when she realized it was beer so Erin just kept it.

“I haven’t seen you in so long, Erin.” Beth kept her back ridged and her face was stuck with a fake smile.

“Yeah it’s been nice.” Erin kept a straight face then suddenly grinned.

Beth uneasily laughed. “You’re always funny, Erin.”

Erin huffed then took a sip of her beer. She then sucked in her breath when she saw Beth’s best friend join them. “Valerie,” she greeted.

“Evening, Erin.” Valerie then looked at Katia and Sara. “Hey Katia and Sara.”

Sara just nodded and took a step closer to Erin.

“Hey Valerie.” Katia tried to keep a friendly front with Valerie. She hated Valerie more than she needed to but she could never seem to control it.

“Come on, Beth. There’s a few guys I want you to meet,” whispered Valerie. She was already walking off.

“Right behind you.” Beth quickly hurried off behind her best friend.

“I hate her,” growled Erin.

“Just let it go,” soothed Sara. She rubbed Erin’s back some with her free hand.

“Mmmm.” Erin’s shoulders began to relax. She took another long drink from her beer.

“Where’s Mikie?” quietly wondered Katia.

“Right here.” Mike came up behind Katia and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. “Miss me, honey?” He kissed her cheek.

“Mike!” growled Katia. She rubbed her cheek where his bristly goatee prickled her face.

“Oh just relaxed.” Mike tightened his arms, which made Katia lean into him.

Sara snickered.

“Girls!” Haley strolled up to the group and threw open her arms.

Erin instantly had a smile and she pulled Haley in for a hug. “Thank you for the invite.”

“Anytime.” Haley separated from the hug and went to Sara next. “Glad you made it, Sara.”

Sara chuckled and hugged her friend. “I wouldn’t miss it, Hale.”

Haley gave a tight squeeze then faced Mike and Katia. “Now don’t you two look like the cutest couple.”

Mike rolled his eyes. “As if.” He released Katia from his cocoon hug.

Katia sighed yet she was grinning. “How are yah, Haley?”

“Wonderful, sweets.” Haley brought Katia into a warm hug. She lowered her head and whispered, “I heard about you and this cop.”

Katia groaned and dropped her face into Haley’s soft neck. “Not you too,” she muttered.

“Not too worry, cutie,” uttered Haley. “You and I need to catch up later. Alright?”

“Seriously?” teased Katia.

Haley pulled back and her brilliant smile broaden. “I’m so serious.” She winked and flung back her curly blond hair as she looked at Mike. “And Mike.”

Mike smiled and he came over to give his friend a big hug.

Haley laughed and squeezed him back just as tightly. “How’s the love life?” she asked after pulling back.

“It sucks,” complained Mike. “Can’t you tell?”

“Yeah if you’re hanging on Katia,” joked Haley.

“Hey!”

Mike snickered at Katia’s response. “No, I just need to find the right man. You know though, I do need some action soon.”

“Oh my, you got some sugar in your tank,” teased Haley. She laughed and shook her head. “I’ll keep my eyes peeled, honey.”

“Please do, Haley. You’re the only one that can pick ‘em.”

“That’s why they call me the Goddess of Love.” Haley winked and started to walk off. She looked back at Katia and pointed at her. “Catch up with my later, babe.”

“I will,” promised Katia.

Haley winked then disappeared in the crowd of growing people.

“She is one cool girl,” commented Sara. She then raised her beer to take a drink.

“Definitely,” agreed Erin. She then looked at Katia. “You don’t want anything to drink?”

“No… not in the mood.” Katia shrugged.

“Well I think I am,” spoked up Mike. “I’ll be back.” He strolled off to the other side of the room where the long table was located.

“So just how much have you been telling people?” inquired Katia. She shifted closer to her two friends.

“Tell people what?” Sara raised an eyebrow.

Katia rolled her eyes. “About Ashley.”

“You mean… Ashley and you?” corrected Erin. A huge smirk creased her lips.

Katia rolled her eyes at her roommate. “You know, even if I was that way… Ashley wouldn’t be with me anyway.”

“What?” choked Sara. She laughed at Katia’s serious expression. “No way. That cop has it for you, Katia.”

“Even I can tell without meeting her.” Erin grinned at Katia’s annoyed look. She held up her drink to Katia and said, “Here’s to Katia figuring at her deepest, darkest secret.”

“Oh please.” Katia shook her head and walked off.

Sara snickered and looked at her friend. “You’re gonna piss her off, Er.”

Erin grinned and lowered her plastic cup after taking a long drink. “She’ll thank me later. Its good for her to have reminders… it keeps her thinking.”

“The girl hardly sleeps as is.”

“Yeah even I have noticed how tired she is.” Mike rejoined the two girls. He was about to add more but the sudden interruption of loud music cut him short. “Guess the party is really getting started.”

Sara was bobbing her head some. “Good song.”

“Hey.” Erin jabbed Sara in the side. “Isn’t that him?” She directed at the front door with a nod.

Sara looked over and saw Bobby from Calvert Count enter the apartment house. “Yup, that’s him.”

“Go cut him off at the pasture,” joked Erin.

“You got it, sugar.” Sara grimaced when she got a smack to her side. She quickly walked off to catch Bobby before anybody else did.

“So what’s going on with you and Sara?” inquired Mike.

Erin peered up at her gay friend. “What makes you think anything is going on, Mikie?”

The young man dramatically rolled his eyes. “Please I know there’s a little somethin’ somethin’ going on between you two.” He suddenly grinned. “I don’t care how gay Sara is… she does not hang on people like she does with you.”

Erin had her cup up to her lips and she grinned into the cup before she took a drink.

“Come on, Erin.” Mike narrowed his eyes at her. “Tell me.”

“Mike, I can’t tell you before I tell Katia.”

“So there is something going on!” Mike laughed and came even closer to Erin. “Is she good?” he whispered.

“Yeah….”

Mike’s eyes widened and he was about to squeal until Erin said, “She’s a good friend.” Instantly Mike glared again and growled, “Erin Mathews.”

Erin pointed a finger at Mike. “I don’t kiss and tell… if I kissed her.”

Mike just shook his head and looked across the room at Sara talking to Bobby.

“She’s in my bay class right?”

“Yeah,” answered Sara at the end of her drink. She then leaned to her right some and peered through the doorway into another room. “There’s Katia now.”

Bobby took a step back and rested his eyes on a short blond. He liked the sky blue button up top that Katia wore along with her black slacks and a set of dress boots. Slowly a grin creased in his expression. “Single huh?”

Sara licked her lips and her stomach turned for some bad reason. “Yeah… she is. I’ll introduce her to you.”

Bobby nodded. “I would love it.”

Sara stepped around her friend and led him into the next room where Katia was talking to some young man.

“Hey, Katia,” cut in Sara.

Katia fell short on her words and turned to Sara. Her smile broke when she saw Bobby beside Sara.

“Katia?”

Katia blinked and looked at Sara. “Oh sorry.”

“Hey Katia, I’ll catch you later.”

Katia turned back to her friend, Jeff, when he grabbed her shoulder. “Good talking to you, Jeff. I’ll see later.”

“Take it easy.” Jeff released her shoulder and walked off with a smile.

Katia returned her focus to Sara and Bobby.

“Katia, I thought you’d like to meet Bobby.”

Bobby stepped up to Katia and held out his hand. “Nice to finally meet you.” He noted how Katia was changing into a slight shade of red.

Katia uneasily laughed but briskly shook his hand. “Finally huh?”

Bobby grinned as he stepped back beside Sara. “I’ve seen you in class and Sara talks a bit about you.”

“Oh… I see.” Katia exchanged a grin with Sara.

“So uh…” Sara smiled at the pair. “I’m going to go see what Erin is doing. You two should… get to know each other.”

“Yeah, I think we will,” agreed Bobby.

“Thanks, Sara.”

Sara flash an evil grin at Katia then strolled off.

“So uh… how you like the bay class?”

Bobby softly laughed at Katia’s question. He could tell Katia was desperate for a topic. “Yeah its fine… but I think it’s my least favourite class.”

“Yeah it’s definitely… different.” Katia nodded her head a few times, she stared down at her feet then looked up. “I hear you’re from Calvert County.”

“Yeah I am. Where are you from?” Bobby folded his large, muscular arms over his chest.

“Further north in Chestertown.”

“I’ve heard of that town. I think Washington College is up there.”

Katia nodded her head. “I leave near there.”

Bobby dropped his head to one side. “You didn’t go to Washington College?”

“Noooo way.” Katia laughed and shook her head. “First its too close to home and second its way to prep for me.”

Bobby grinned at her words. “Yeah I heard its pretty prep.”

“I mean if I’d gotten into writing, like I thought about, then I’d gone there.”

“They do have an excellent lit department,” agreed Bobby. He then straightened up to his full height. “I need a drink.”

“I’ll come with you,” persisted Katia. She slowly walked along side Bobby to the other room. As she passed her group of friends, she saw them all giving her grins and she tried to ignore them.

Bobby grabbed a bottle of Coors from the ice chest cooler. He then stepped aside while twisting the cap off. “So you’re into English?”

“Not really,” replied Katia. “I’m still working on that major idea.”

Bobby chuckled then took a drink from the bottle.

“How about you?” Katia folded her arms and took a step to her right. She leaned against the wall some but her eyes never left Bobby.

“Look at them,” cooed Mike. “They’re getting along well already.”

Sara took the last drink of her beer then crushed the cup. “They sure are.”

“Oh are you jealous?” teased Erin. She reached over and squeezed her friend’s arm.

“Hardly.” Sara grinned.

“I think I’m going to go over there and meet him,” decided Erin aloud.

“Good… Sara and I will go talk to the music deejay.” Mike grabbed Sara’s arm and hauled her off.

Erin smirked as she watched Sara get towed off. She then turned back to Bobby and her roommate’s direction. She headed for the food and beverages table first.

Out of the corner of her eye, Katia saw her roommate coming towards her.

Erin finished filling up her cup with more beer from the metal keg. She handed off her spot at the keg to the next person. She then neared Katia and Bobby through the crowd of people near the table.

“Hey, Erin,” greeted Katia.

Bobby looked from Katia to the taller, curly dark-blond beside him.

“Hi.” Erin smiled at Katia then up at Bobby. “Hi, I’m Erin Mathews… I’m Katia’s roommate.” She held out her free hand.

“I’m Bobby Fluehr.”

Erin took the much larger hang and gave a good shake.

“I’ve seen you as well in class.”

“Yeah, we’re in that bay class together,” agreed Erin. She smiled at him. “We’re always the pair talking behind you.”

Bobby laughed and glanced at Katia before looking at Erin again. “Well I hardly hear your voice but I do hear Katia’s plenty.”

Katia closed her eyes some as a blush crept up her neck once more.

“Yeah Katia is a little gabby… I’ll say that.” Erin smirked at her friend’s embarrassed expression.

“I like that,” admitted Bobby. He smiled over at Katia.

Katia shyly smiled at him but when he looked away, she glared at Erin.

Erin’s smirk only grew but as she returned her attention to Bobby, she smiled. “So do you work out, Bobby?” She stepped forward and with her free hand, she grasped Bobby’s right forearm.

“Weight lifting.” Bobby tensed his arm muscle up.

“I can see,” agree Erin. She squeezed the rock solid arm. “Very nice.” She removed her hand and her smile switched into a devilish grin. “Katia has a thing for those types.”

Katia groaned from her spot against the wall.

“Hmmm.” Bobby said nothing else but his hungry grin said plenty.

“Well… I’ll let you to keep talking.” Erin looked at her roommate. “If you need us, we’ll be around, Katia but I don’t think you will.”

“Thanks, Erin.” Katia sighed after her friend walked off.

“Nice to meet you, Bobby,” called Erin.

Bobby gave a faint wave. “You too, Erin.” He then smiled back at Katia. “Nice roommate.” He shifted closer to Katia and lifted his left hand. He pressed it against the wall near Katia.

Katia smiled at him then she dropped her head against the wall. “She’s a great friend.”

Erin continued to push through the crowd. She needed to find her two friends and she knew they were with the deejay since the music was becoming louder. She finally found the table in the corner of the other side room where the deejay was located. She instantly spotted Mike and Sara talking to the deejay.

She weaved her way through and came up to Sara’s side. “I see you got the volume up,” she almost yelled.

Sara loudly laughed. “You got it, babe. Isn’t it great?” She was bobbing her head and letting the music fill her senses.

“I like techno,” yelled Mike over the music.

Erin rolled her eyes.

“Hey I’m gonna go for a smoke,” yelled Sara.

Erin nodded. “Don’t be long,” she called back.

Sara grinned and slipped around her friend. She was between walking and dancing her way to the open door.

Mike saw several girls and guys starting to dance in front of the deejay table. “I’m gonna go dance.”

“Go for it,” offered Sara. She then looked at the deejay and he was too into his music to notice her. She shook her head and took a long drink from her beer.

Sara slipped past a few more people then finally made it outside. She noted all the people outside on the small porch, who were talking and drinking. She shrugged and went down the set of steps until she came to the last one. She began to sit while pulling out her pack of cigarettes. She tapped them on her knee then opened it. She pulled out her lighter and a cigarette.

Within a few seconds, Sara had her cigarette lit and the smoke filtered out of her open mouth. She started to listen to the music again and she bobbed her head to it. She then felt a presence behind her and she looked to her left when the person sat beside her.

“Hey.”

Sara smiled. “Hey, Haley.”

“Mind?”

“Nope.” Sara held out the cigarette.

Haley took the offer and she had a short drag then handed it back. “Thanks.” She let the smoke slowly flow out between her lips. “How is Katia?”

“She’s… a lot of things,” admitted Sara. She sighed then lifted her cigarette back to her lips.

“That’s what I gathered when I saw her.” Haley bushed back her long locks of curly blond hair. “She has dark circles under her eyes. You and Erin keeping her up at night?”

Sara laughed then blew out the rest of the smoke. “No, I wish that was the case.”

Haley half grinned and patted her friend’s back. “Give it time, Sara.”

“I know.” Sara dropped her head some but took another smoke from her cigarette. “I think Katia really likes this cop.”

“From what I’ve heard, I think you’re right.” Haley rubbed her hands together some then she reached forward to straighten out her pink skirt. “Just keep an eye on her, Sara.”

“We are,” promised Sara. She sighed and took the last drag from her cigarette. “She’s had enough trouble in her time.”

“Mmmm.” Haley then turned her head to the left down the street when something caught her eye.

Sara looked up as well after she threw the butt onto the sidewalk. “Oh shit.”

“Shit is right.” Haley hastily stood up when the blue and red flashing cars pulled up to the curb near her and Shanarah’s apartment house.

Sara sighed and muttered, “Goddamn pigs.”

“Goddamn neighbours is more like it.” Haley glared over at the neighbours that were poking their heads through the currents.

Sara peered up at Haley for a second but then she looked at the cop cars and saw seven local police officers coming over to them. She then realized one of the officers wore grey, which meant they were a trooper. “Oh god it’s tall, dark and… angry,” whispered Sara.

“Get that goddamn music off and break up the party,” ordered the state trooper to the local police.

“You got it, sarge,” called one officer. He ordered his men to follow into the house.

“Who lives here?” growled the state trooper.

“I do, ma’am.” Haley was tall but she wasn’t as tall as this state trooper so she decided to remain on the bottom step to gain some height. She felt a shiver ripple up her back when a set of angry blue eyes locked on her.

“Evening, Officer Carver,” greeted Sara as she stood up.

Ashley Carver’s dark eyes flickered to Sara but looked at Haley instead. “Have you ever been fined before for disturbing the peace?”

Haley shyly smiled. “No, Officer.”

“Well you’re about to be. Follow me,” ordered Ashley Carver.

Sara sadly sighed and she looked at Haley. “Good luck.”

Haley rolled her eyes but followed the state trooper to her car.

Sara then heard the music suddenly cut off. “There’s goes the party,” she sighed out. “I better go check on the girls.” She turned and hurried up the steps and into the house. As she weaved through the crowd of people, she could just make out Katia’s voice and it was angry. “Oh boy,” she breathed out when she found Katia talking to an officer. She also saw Erin coming out of a side door from the room and looking rather confused.

“Officer, I was not drinking,” hotly stated Katia.

“She wasn’t, sir,” agreed Bobby.

The officer shook his head and pointed at the cup in Katia’s hand. “That doesn’t matter at this point. You’re under twenty-one and holding alcohol… that’s against the law, miss.”

“What’s going on?” cut in Erin. She’d finally made it past all the people to join them.

“He’s giving me a citation for holding your drink,” explained Katia.

“What?” Erin looked at the officer. “That’s not even hers, sir. I was going to the bathroom and Katia offered to hold it for me.”

“I’m sorry, it doesn’t matter. She is under the age and in the state of Maryland it is illegal for her to hold alcoholic beverages.”

“Hey, Katia… Ashley is here,” spoke up Sara when she joined her friends.

“Ashley is here?” Katia’s eyes widened but she quickly looked at the officer. “Let me talk to Officer Carver, she’ll clear this up.”

Sara cringed when Katia said that.

“Please,” pleaded Katia.

The police officer sighed and closed up his ticket book. “Alright… stay here.” He then turned and headed back out of the crowd of people that were starting to thin out now. Once he got outside, he spotted the state trooper just releasing a tall curly blond. He approached Ashley Carver after she was finished speaking to the young college student. “Ashley?” he called.

The state trooper turned to the police officer after finished her conversation with Haley.

“I’ve got a girl in there that says she knows you.” The officer tucked his ticket book under his right arm.

“What’s her name?”

“Katia Danforth,” replied the officer.

“What’s the problem?” stoically asked the trooper.

The officer sighed and replied, “I found her holding a cup of beer. I checked her driver’s license and she’s under twenty-one.”

Ashley chewed on the inside of her lip. “Was she drinking?”

“I don’t believe so. I don’t smell anything on her breath and she claimed to be holding it for a friend.”

“Alright.” Ashley Carver went to her car door and opened it. “I’ll cover it, Matt. Take care of everything else.”

“Thanks, Ashley.”

The state trooper sighed when she rose back up with her own ticket book. She slammed her door shut and started for the house. “Goddamn it, Katia,” she hotly whispered, “Why couldn’t you stay in your dorm?” As she made her way in and to Katia, she ordered people to leave the party.

“Ashley will take care of it,” promised Mike. He then saw a tall, dark state trooper headed for them. “Here she comes.”

Sara looked over and could tell Ashley was in no better mood than earlier. She could only hope that Katia would be able to sooth Ashley’s temper for everybody’s own sake.

“What’s going on here?” first spoke up Ashley.

Katia could instantly tell Ashley was rather serious and even pissed off. She wasn’t sure why but she could tell this probably would not be good. She took a deep breath and said, “Ashley, one of the officers found me with a beer. I swear I wasn’t drinking it and I was holding it for Erin.”

Ashley slowly raised an eyebrow and put her hands on her hips.

“She was,” interjected Erin, “I had to go to the bathroom and I was just going to set it down on the table.”

“But I wouldn’t let her,” continued Katia, “because people put that stuff in girls’ drinks to knock them out.”

Ashley lowered her hands from her hips and she looked at Erin. “And do you have your license on you?”

Erin’s jaw almost fell when she heard the request but she knew better to argue. She reached to her back pocket on her jeans and she pulled out her license. “Here.”

Ashley took the license and carefully studied it. “Thank you.” she handed back the license. She then studied Sara and noticed she looked rather sober as well as did the young man to Katia’s left. But when she looked at the muscular young man behind Katia, she thought otherwise of him. “What’s your name?”

“Bobby,” replied the young man. He stepped up to Katia’s side.

“Have your license as well?”

Bobby sighed and reached into his back pocket too. He pulled out a leather wallet and fished through it. He produced his license for the state trooper.

Officer Carver took it and checked over the date and made sure it was him. She noted his twenty-first birthday was just a week ago. She sighed and gave it back to him. “Alright, you four are free to go.”

Nobody in the group made a single move to leave Katia’s side.

Ashley grounded her teeth and hotly ordered, “You four need to leave this house. You can wait outside for Miss Danforth there.” She kept her dark eyes on them as they each slowly left except for Erin.

Erin stepped up to Ashley and whispered, “Nice to meet you too, Officer Carver.” She then brushed past the state trooper but she looked back and gave her roommate a reassuring look.

Katia dropped her eyes and waited for Ashley to start the conversation.

“Unfortunately Katia, there’s nothing much I can do,” whispered the state trooper. “It is the law that you’re not allowed to hold alcoholic beverages when you’re under the age.” She felt some of her angry from the frustrating night quickly fade away when Katia looked up at with an upset expression. “I’m going to have to give you a citation.”

“A citation?” Katia’s attitude completely switched into anger. “I’m going to have to go to court?”

“Yes,” simply stated Ashley. She reached up with her right hand and pulled out her pen from her chest pocket.

“Ashley, it wasn’t….” Katia fell short on her words when Ashley held up her hand. She then began to grow angrier as she watched Ashley fill out a form in her ticket book.

“Driver’s license,” ordered Ashley.

The college student took deep, soothing breaths in hopes it’d calm her anger but it really wasn’t helping. She gave the state trooper her license.

Officer Carver placed the license at the top of her citation form and copied down certain information. When she was finished, she handed it over.

Katia closed her eyes as she put away her license in her pocket. When she opened her eyes again it was when she heard Ashley tear the citation free.

“Your court date will be at the end of this week,” explained the state trooper. “If you need a later date and can call that number at the bottom of the citation.” She noted how Katia wasn’t looking at her and how hard Katia was breathing right now. “I suggest you plead not guilty.”

Katia slowly lifted her eyes after Ashley spoke those words.

The state trooper actually sensed a slight shiver ripple down her back. She’d never seen so much anger in Katia’s eyes. It was at that point she knew she had to walk away for both their sakes. “I’m sorry, Katia,” she quietly whispered before leaving her friend.

Katia closed her eyes and tried to remain calm and in control.

Ashley walked through the dead, quiet house and went outside. As soon as she stepped out, all of Katia’s friends looked up at her. She just brushed past them and went to her car.

“That’s not good,” whispered Mike. He then peered up at the open door of the house and saw Katia standing there. He saw Katia held a piece of paper in her right hand. He cringed just at the thought.

“She didn’t?” whispered Erin.

“She did,” confirmed Katia in a very low, angry tone.

Sara’s eyes widened. “Holy shit, that’s fuckin’ ridiculous.”

“Sara,” warned Erin. She nodded in Ashley’s direction, who was just getting into her car.

“I don’t give a damn,” hissed Sara. “I’ll be right back.” She rushed off in the direction of Ashley’s car. “Officer Carver?” she called.

Ashley sighed at hearing Sara’s voice. “Yes?”

Sara approached the older woman and asked, “Can I talk to you…. in private.”

The state trooper thought about it yet nodded her head. “Step into my office,” she half joked and gestured to her car.

Sara walked around to the passenger side and go into the car.

Ashley climbed in as well and asked, “What you need, Sara?”

“Look I don’t know what gives but Katia did not deserve that.”

“I know.” Ashley didn’t look at Sara but stared out her front window at Katia. She watched as Katia sat down on a step with Erin. “But there wasn’t much I could do about it, Sara.”

“Yeah right, Ashley. I guess your job is pretty important, huh?”

Ashley quickly looked at the younger woman. “Do not throw that at me, Sara. I’d done anything to get Katia out of that but the fact another officer caught her instead of me made it hard.” She could tell Sara was starting to understand. “If it’d been me, I’d just pass by her like I didn’t see it.” She paused then added, “I gave her a citation so she could fight it in court. If she pleads not guilty and states her reasons, the judge will most likely let her off.”

Sara chewed on her lower lip. “You think so?”

“I’m pretty sure.” Ashley glanced at Katia through the window and muttered, “I’ll make sure of it.” She then looked at Sara. “So you outta suggest it to her… without mentioning my name.”

Sara slightly grinned at what Ashley said because she knew Ashley meant it as a joke. “I will,” she promised.

“Good.”

“Look, Ashley….” Sara sighed and continued with what she was trying to say. “There’s something else I need to tell yah.”

“What’s that, Sara?” Ashley raised an eyebrow. “Make it quick because I need to get back on duty here.”

The college student sighed but she tried to gain some courage. “Ashley, I’m hoping I don’t get my head knocked off for this but you are gay… aren’t you?”

Ashley tensed up but she kept a calm composure.

“You know I am,” continued Sara, “so you know I can pick up on these things.”

The state trooper finally took a breath and she looked down at the space between them. “I take it this is about Katia too… huh?” She lifted her head back up.

“Actually yeah,” admitted Sara. “I’m not asking because I’m interested in you… well not that you’re not hot or anything but….” She laughed when she saw Ashley slightly grin at her.

“I wouldn’t call myself a full fledge, die-hard lesbian,” started Ashley, “but I do prefer women.”

Sara nodded some and she considered her next words carefully. “Have you thought about telling Katia about it?”

Ashley knew that was the next question. She sighed and looked away from Sara. Her eyes rested on her friend on the steps. “Yeah, I have,” she admitted. “Actually was planning to talk to her about it this week. Well….” She held her hand up in Katia’s direction. “I think that plan just got screwed up.” She sarcastically laughed some and dropped her hand back down.

“Yeah… she’s pretty pissed at you now,” agreed Sara. She licked her lips and saw how Ashley looked at her with worried eyes. “She’ll get over it, trust me. Just give her some time. I bet she’ll be fine by Monday.”

Ashley had a sceptic look as she glanced at Katia again. “I doubt it,” she whispered.

“Look Ashley,” started Sara, “you should tell Katia. I think she already knows it about you.”

“I know, Sara but its kinda two different things when somebody knows it versus them being told its true.”

Sara faintly nodded. “She’ll be fine with it… she’s use to Mike and I being gay. So it won’t shock her or nothin’.” She pressed her lips together in thought. “But I guess you’re worried still.”

“I am,” quietly admitted the older woman.

“It’ll be fine,” promised Sara. “And the only reason I’m saying you should tell her soon is because I think it’d help her.”

“Help her?”

“Come on, Ashley.” Sara for once raised an eyebrow. “Can’t you see that Katia is having a hard time with her sexual preference?”

“I’ve noticed it.” Ashley dropped her head back against the headrest.

“I think if she knows you’re a… uh well a lesbian then it’ll be a good thing for her.”

“How is that?”

Sara grinned. “Because you’re the only one she talks to and goes to. Erin and I… Mike none of us can get her really to talk about certain things. But we all know she’ll come running to you about aaanything.”

Ashley chuckled a little.

“So if she knows you’re like that then she’ll feel more comfortable about talking to you about that stuff.”

“You think so huh?”

“I know so,” stated Sara. “And she could really use the help. I mean, the girl is up all night typing on her laptop.”

Ashley turned her head to Sara. “Like what?”

“I don’t know. Erin says she really can’t see the screen from so far away. Even if she could, she wouldn’t really read it because she doesn’t like to pry in Katia’s life.” Sara stopped and gave a deep sigh. “I just think if she knows you’re colourful like the rest of us, she’ll feel comfortable to come to you for help. And right now, she really needs somebody to talk to about that stuff. I mean for crying out loud, the girl can pick up on gays now.”

“I’ve noticed that too.” Ashley lowered her head back again. “I’ll try my best, Sara.”

“Thank you because Erin, Mike and I are going out of our minds.” Sara reached over to grab the door handle. “Oh and good luck with getting back on Katia’s good side.”

Ashley closed her eyes and her shoulder slumped. “Thanks a lot.”

“No problem.” Sara grinned and opened the door. “I’ll put some good words in for you though.”

Ashley looked over and said, “Thanks… appreciate it.”

Sara winked. “See yah, Ashley.”

“Bye.” Ashley turned her head away when the door slammed. She started her car and drove her car around. She knew Katia was looking at her as she passed by to turn around. Once she had her car around, she turned her headlights on and drove off.

Katia tore her eyes away from the dark car and looked up at Sara. “What’d you talk to her for so long?”

“Just told her she’s in a lot of fuckin’ trouble with you.”

Katia huffed and lowered her gaze. “I’ve never been so mad.”

“Yeah, I hear yah.” Sara reached back and pulled out her pack of cigarettes. She felt rather stressed now knowing just how mad her friend was right now.

“Come on, let’s get back to campus,” suggested Mike. He got up from the step and went to Sara’s side.

“I’m going to go check on Haley and Shanarah. Actually….” Erin looked at Mike then at Katia. “Why don’t you two head back. Sara and I will stay and help Haley Shanarah clean up.”

“Wait, what happened to Bobby?” inquired Katia as she stood up.

“I’m not sure,” admitted Erin with a curious expression.

Just then a yellow Nissan Frontier pulled up to them.

“Thought everybody would need a ride,” announced Bobby when he got out of his still running truck.

“You can get Mike and Katia back?” spoke up Erin.

“Yeah sure.” Bobby smiled but then asked, “What about you and Sara?”

“We’re gonna stay and help clean up,” replied Sara. “Katia and Mike need to get back though.”

“Alright.” Bobby looked at Katia and Mike. “Hop in. There’s enough room for all three in the front.”

“You get the middle,” teased Mike to Katia.

Katia shook her head and went to the passenger door. “See yah, Sara and Erin.”

“See yah when I get back,” called Erin. She was already heading back into the house with Sara.

Mike got into the truck after Katia and buckled his seat belt.

Bobby got in last and neglected to buckle his seat belt. He quickly turned his truck around and headed down the quiet street. “Tonight really sucked,” he commented.

“Yeah it did,” agreed Katia. “But… wasn’t all that bad.” She grinned up at him.

Bobby glanced over and mirrored the grin back. “Which dorm are you both in?”

“Severn,” answered Mike from across the cab.

When they arrived back at the campus, Mike got out and left Katia with alone with Bobby. He quietly walked through the parking lot and went to the dorm. He climbed the steps and went inside and up to this room. When he got into the room, he noted it was already eleven o’clock but it wasn’t until about eleven twenty that he hear Katia open the door to her dark room.

Katia didn’t bother to turn on any lights. She dropped into her bed and groaned. She saw her door crack open and figure appear. “Hey, Mikie.”

“How’s things with lover-girl?”

Katia chuckled and rolled onto her side. She smiled when Mike sat down on Erin’s bed. “We kissed,” she happily whispered.

“Oh?” Mike suddenly had an excited expression. “Was he good?”

Katia laughed but she looked rather worn out when she did laugh. “Yeah it was pretty nice. Mmmm.” She rolled onto her back. “I haven’t kissed somebody for….”

“A year?”

“Something like that.” Katia chuckled and turned her head to Mike. “He’s pretty good lookin’ huh?”

“Yeah he is,” agreed Mike but he shrugged. “I just hope he’s got the right personality for you.”

Katia also shrugged and said, “Doesn’t take much personality to have sex.”

“Katia Danforth, my virgin ears!”

Katia rolled her eyes. “Yeah right, Mike.”

Mike sighed and leaned forward. “Just don’t get ahead of yourself, Katia.”

“I know… I was just kidding about the sex part.” Katia gave her friend a warm smile. “He is cute though.”

Mike grinned but yet he felt a bit of sadness. “Well cute doesn’t mean he’s the one.”

Katia chewed on her lower lip some then closed her eyes. “I know,” she whispered.

“Good… just keep that in mind.” Mike stood up and grasped his friend’s shoulder. “Get some rest, Katia. It’s been a long night.”

Katia quietly grunted. “No kidding.”

Mike squeezed Katia’s shoulder then headed for the door. “Goodnight, Katia.”

“Nite, Mikie.” Katia listened to the door shut and she actually started to drift asleep. For once she didn’t care about her clothes and just decided not to fight her sleepiness. It wasn’t long before she dozed off.

**To be continued.**


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Erin looked up when she heard the knock at her door. After a sigh, she chucked her books onto her bed and called, “Come in.” She kept her head down but she listened to the door opening. She was too busy thumbing through her notebook in her hand to notice who was at her door. When she finally didn’t hear the person greet her, she looked up.

Ashley remained in the doorway as if she really wasn’t sure if she was allowed in the room.

Erin raised an eyebrow some at the taller woman. She noted how much different Ashley looked without her uniform. “I said you could come in, yah know.”

The officer took the hint and stepped into the room more, she closed the door behind.

“Katia isn’t here,” casually mentioned Erin. “She’s in her calc class… if you’re looking for her.” She finally lifted her head.

Ashley sighed at how stern Erin’s tone was to her. “I’m on everybody’s shit list huh?”

Erin partially grinned at that. “No… just Katia’s.” She lowered her notebook on to her other books on the bed. “Me… I’m just more stressed out now with my roommate thanks to you. So I’m more or less annoyed at you for this entire situation we have now.” She captured Ashley’s attention again when she looked up. “But Sara has been trying very hard to convince me everything will be fine. She keeps rambling something about you didn’t want to do it.”

“I didn’t,” agreed Ashley.

“I know,” whispered Erin. She took a few steps backwards and sat on Katia’s bed. “And you don’t have to prove it to me.”

The officer sighed and she glanced at the floor before looking back at Erin. “How is she?”

“Pissed… upset… annoyed.” Erin shrugged. “She misses you though.”

Ashley huffed a little. “Its going to be awhile huh?”

“Let’s see….” Erin stared up at the ceiling. “That was Friday night… its Monday now. I bet in two weeks she’ll finally settle down.”

Ashley shook her head and remained quiet in her thought. She then focused back on Erin. “I do apologize for how we met on Friday.”

“It’s okay… now.” Erin kept serious but then grinned.

The state trooper sighed in relief.

“Katia did mention she got a text message from you on Sunday morning.”

“Mmmm… I never heard anything back from her.”

Erin studied Ashley for a second. “That’s because she doesn’t want to hurt you, trust me. When Katia get’s mad at somebody, she can get vicious and say nasty things. So she’s learned to stay clear of them until she calms down. And she will tell you to leave her alone until she’s ready, let me tell you.” She chuckled. “I too have been on the receiving end of Katia’s temper.”

“What happened?” inquired the older woman.

The college student shrugged. “I pissed her off and she told me to back off. So I did and I waited until she was ready to talk. She approached me first and we talked, hugged, and things were dandy again.” Erin shrugged. “And that was that.”

“Great. So if I see her I’m suppose to walk the other way?”

Erin tilted her head to one side. “I’m not so sure… with you.”

Ashley slowly lifted an eyebrow.

“Look, you’re different, Ashley. You’re special to Katia and on some level, I think Katia is more hurt than anything. After her anger dies out, she’ll be left hurt and to be frank, she’s not going to admit to it. That’s just going to have be something you’ll have to tackle because she won’t just let you know.”

“Yeah I know how closed up Katia can be.”

“Mmmm,” agreed Erin. “Right now, I’d just give her time.” She laughed some and added, “Because she’s pretty goddamn pissed at you.”

Ashley sighed and dropped her gaze.

“Sara and I will try out best.” Katia’s roommate stood up and went to her desk. “Give me your cell phone number,” she ordered.

The state trooper gave a sceptic look.

Erin sighed when she looked up at the officer. “Look, I’ll keep in touch with you about how she’s doing. Alright?”

Ashley sighed and said, “410 472 5777.”

“Thanks.” Erin then went to her phonebook in the cell phone and searched for Sara’s number. “My number is….” She peered up as she saw Ashley get her cell phone out. “410 310 3754. And I’m going to give you Sara’s too.”

“Alright.” Ashley finished putting in Erin’s number then started a new contact for Sara. “Go ahead.”

“Sara’s is 810 544 3764.” Erin cleared out the screen on her 3350 Nokia and looked up at her the taller woman. “I’ll give Sara your number too.”

“Great,” joked Ashley.

Erin grinned and tossed her Nokia back onto her desk. “We’ll keep you posted on what’s going on.”

“Thanks, Erin.”

“No problem.” Then a thought occurred to Erin and she had a curious expression. “And how did you know this was our room?”

“Sara,” simply replied Ashley.

“Oooh you caught her when she left a few minutes ago huh?”

Ashley simply nodded.

“You want me to tell Katia you stopped by?” Erin put her hands on her hips.

Ashley shook her head. “I don’t think so.” She turned around and opened the door. “I don’t want her to think I stalk her.”

Erin laughed and stepped forward to hold open the door. “She might like it anyway.”

The state trooper rolled her eyes as she went into the cluster hallway. She turned to face Erin. “Besides… I’ll see her Friday.”

“Oh shit that’s right. You have to be there?”

Ashley faintly nodded. “Since I wrote the citation I have to appear in court too. If I don’t then the judge can assume my citation is no good.”

“Then don’t go,” joked Erin.

“I would if my job didn’t depend on it.”

Erin sighed as a frown took her lips. “This is bad huh?”

“It is,” agreed Ashley, “but I think I can work it out for her.”

“I hope so.”

“Anyway.” The state trooper shifted away more. “Thanks again for the help, Erin.”

“No problem. I’ll be in touch.”

“See yah.” Ashley headed down the short hall.

“Bye,” called Erin. She watched the tall woman leave but she could still hear her going down the hallway. Erin went back into the room and grabbed her Nokia. She started punching in a message to Sara and included Ashley’s number with it. After she sent the message, she went back to her bed to grab her books for her next class; it was her bay class with Katia.

***

Katia grinned as she pulled away from the long kiss with Bobby.

Bobby grinned back and kept his eyes on Katia as she went around the bed to her desk. He contently sighed and laid back into Katia’s bed. “So you hear from that cop friend of yours?”

Katia paused in the middle of shutting down her laptop. “Not really, no.” She clicked on the shut down button on her XP Windows. “Tomorrow I actually have to go to court.”

“Well then you’ll see her tomorrow.”

“What?” Katia came back over and sat on the bed beside Bobby.

“She has to appear in court too,” explained Bobby. “Trust me, I’ve had a couple of citations myself. The cop always appears too.”

“Great,” muttered Katia.

Bobby reached up and rubbed Katia’s back some. “You’ll be fine. And the first offence typically isn’t that much.”

“Even better.” Katia brushed back some of her short, blond hair. “How much were your fines?”

“Well I had to pay the fine for the actual offence and that was like fifty dollars… maybe more.” Bobby furrowed his eyebrows as he thought about it. “Then you have to pay the court fines, which is like a hundred dollars standard.”

Katia just groaned and leaned forward. “Goddamn it I hate her for this.”

Bobby turned his head to the left but he continued to rub Katia’s back. “She’s a cop… what you expect?” He shrugged then added, “All of ‘em are alike.”

Katia almost felt like protesting but she decided not to get into an argument. She lifted both her hands and covered her face with them. “I’m not excited about tomorrow at all. I’m even missing out on my bay class.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll cover the notes for you,” offered Bobby. “So will Erin.”

“Yeah I know,” whispered Katia. After she said that, she heard the door open and her roommate and Sara came in together.

“Hey, Katia.” Sara gave a faint wave and went to Erin’s bed where she sat down. “Hey, Bobby.”

“How are yah?”

Sara smiled at Bobby and replied, “Pretty good.”

Erin was busy putting her book bag down by her desk. When she straightened up, she looked at Katia’s bent over form. “You ready for your big day tomorrow?”

Katia’s only response was a long groan.

“Don’t worry. You two won’t even probably talk.” Erin came over to sit beside Sara.

Katia lifted her head and locked her eyes with Erin. “Yeah but we’ll be glaring at each other from across the court room.”

Sara snickered and said, “Oooh that sounds so oof….” She started rubbing her side after Erin just elbowed her so hard.

“Sounds so what?” interrupted Bobby.

“Stupid,” quipped Erin. “Its stupid you’re not talking to her, Katia.” She raised an eyebrow at her roommate.

Katia’s mood suddenly shifted into annoyance. “Whatever. Its not my goddamn fault all this happened. I can’t believe she gave me that citation. I’d never done that if it was the other way around.” She then noted how both Erin and Sara were giving her doubtful looks. “What?”

“Come on,” encouraged Sara. “Are you telling me you wouldn’t give Ashley a citation?”

“No,” barked Katia. “I don’t pick my job over my friends.”

“Well what if you’re in a tight spot like say….” Erin waved her hand a little then finished her scenario. “Like a cop before you caught Ashley with the beer and so that meant you just couldn’t ignore the fact Ashley had the beer.”

Katia glared at her roommate because she knew what she was trying to say. “I still wouldn’t.”

“Hmmmm.” Erin shrugged and stood up. “Yeah, I kinda doubt too that Ashley would try and understand that you had to do what you did because your job and reputation depended on it.”

“What’s that suppose to mean?” Katia coldly stared at Erin’s back.

Erin sat down at her desk chair because she knew it was safer to stay away from her roommate. She didn’t want to get on Katia’s bad side but at the same time, she wanted Katia to look at things from Ashley’s side. “Nothing, Katia.”

“Don’t try to twist this, Erin.” Katia pointed a finger at her roommate. “Ashley could have fuckin’ ignored it if she wanted to.”

“Katia, all Erin is trying to say is… think about it from Ashley’s side,” explained Sara. She held her breath in hopes she wouldn’t anger Katia anymore.

Katia had her mouth half-open, about to give Erin so more of her words but she fell short after hearing Sara. She lowered her hand and closed her mouth. “She still had a choice,” she whispered but more in hurt than in anger. She shook it off and stood up. She turned and faced Bobby. “You hungry? I need to get out of here.”

“Yeah sure.” Bobby sat up then swung his feet around the bed and said, “Personally all I have to say is… she probably enjoyed doing it.” He hopped out of the bed beside Katia. He glanced between all three girls, shrugged his shoulders, and said, “Once a pig… always a pig.” He then headed for the door but called, “I’ll be in the truck, Katia.”

Katia turned around and watched him leave. She stared at the closed door with her mouth partially opened as if she was about to say something. She took a deep breath and closed her mouth.

Erin was studying her roommate and she could tell Bobby’s words had just sparked Katia’s anger again.

“I’ll be back later,” hotly whispered Katia. She picked up her purse from her desk but made a point of not looking at either of her friends. She silently went to the door and left the room.

Sara and Erin both stared at the door then looked at each other.

“I not so sure I like Bobby that much anymore,” uttered Erin.

“I can’t believe Katia let him get away with saying that.” Sara reached up and brushed back her dark brown hair. “No matter how mad she is with Ashley, she will not take somebody bad mouthing Ashley.”

“I know.” Erin licked her lips and shook her head. “Katia is going to kill him.”

“Maybe not now… but eventually she will.” Sara sighed and fell back into Erin’s bed. She lifted both her hands to cover her face up. “Why can’t Ashley and Katia just hook up, have sex, and be happily ever after?”

Erin slowly grinned. She stood up and came over to the bed. Slowly and carefully, Erin climbed into the bed and straddled Sara’s body. “Because nothing ever works out that easily.”

Sara removed her hands and put them under her head. “Tell me about it.” She shook her head and muttered, “Love is so blind.”

Erin chuckled and she gently sat down on Sara’s waist. “Yes it can be… but….”

Sara slowly raised an eyebrow in question. “But what?”

Erin smirked and lowered herself down onto Sara’s body. “But that’s what makes it last forever.” She rested her chin on Sara’s chest.

“No, that’s what makes you deny the bad parts about your partner.”

“And how is that bad?” countered Erin. “Loving somebody is accepting somebody… no matter who they are, what they are.” She shifted her right hand and brought it to Sara’s face. She pointed out her index finger and very slowly began to trace Sara’s facial features. “The key to unlocking one’s heart is taking the time to understand them.” Erin paused as she smiled and her finger traced over Sara’s smiling lips. “And taking that time requires unconditional love.” She lifted her eyes from Sara’s full lips to meet soft brown eyes. “So love cannot be all that blind.” She grinned and tapped the tip of Sara’s nose with her finger. “Can it?”

“I… I….” Sara wasn’t sure what to say, she was trapped by Erin’s intense gaze.

Erin’s amber eyes darkened some and she quietly chuckled at Sara. She then suddenly rolled to her left and stood up. “I think lust is really what is blind.”

***

Katia parked her car and turned the engine off. She grasped the black key but didn’t pull it out. Instead, she took a few deep breaths and looked to her right. She almost groaned when she spotted about three cop cars parked on the other side of the court-housing parking lot. “Great… just great,” she growled and jerked her key out of the ignition.

Katia opened her door and slung her purse over her right shoulder. After she closed the Mercedes' door, she locked the car up and made her way to the big wooden doors of the courthouse. Once she was inside, she asked around for the instructions for her court appointment. Eventually she found herself ushered into a courtroom and down between a row of benches with a few random onlookers in them.

Katia took a shaky breath as she approached the bench of the judge. Then from her right, she caught sight of a tall state trooper and she tried not to look over at Ashley. She kept her back straight and waited for the judge. Up on the bench she read the name, which read Judge Jonathan Task.

The side door opened off the right of the bench and a man in a black robe came out. He climbed up to his bench and comfortably sat down. He cleared his throat and looked down at the young woman before him. He studied her for a moment then looked back down at his file on his desk. “Katia Danforth,” he read aloud.

“That’s me, sir.” Katia laced her hands in front of herself and tried to remain composed.

The judge adjusted his wire glasses some by bushing them back up on his nose. “On a week ago from today it says here you were found in the possession of an alcoholic beverage.” He lifted his head and peered down at the young woman. “How do you plead, Miss Danforth?”

“No guilty, sir,” quietly spoke Katia.

Judge Task nodded and sat back into his large black chair. “State your reasons why you believe you’re not guilty, Miss Danforth.”

“Well….” Katia took a moment to breathe before she spoke. “I was at a party, sir with several of my friends. One friend of mine, Erin, had to use the bathroom. I was near the bathroom door talking to a friend. So I saw Erin setting her drink down on the table and I told her not to and that I could hold onto it for her.”

“Why did you feel it was necessary to do that?” countered the judge.

“Well sir, I’m sure you’ve heard plenty about how some people will put that drug into girls’ drinks to knock them out. I was worried that could happen to Erin. That was why I took her drink so that wouldn’t happen to her.”

Judge Task faintly nodded but he didn’t say anything. He simply leaned forward and thumbed through a couple of papers in his file. He then shifted his attention to Katia. “There is nothing here that says whether you were drinking or not, Miss Danforth.”

“I wasn’t, sir… as I said, I was merely holding it for my friend.”

The judge studied Katia for a moment then his eyes flickered across the room to the state trooper. “Sergeant Carver?”

Katia furrowed her eyebrows because she had no clue that Ashley was now a sergeant.

Ashley kept her back straight and her eyes only on the judge. “Sir?”

“Did you test Miss Danforth BAC level?”

The state trooper didn’t immediately respond but she nodded her head and replied, “I did, sir.”

Katia held her breath when her friend said that to the judge.

“What were the results, sergeant?”

“They were negative, sir,” answered Ashley.

Judge Task leaned forward again, his gaze very stern. “And why did you not put this in your report, Sergeant Carver?”

Ashley quickly came up with an answer. “It was a busy night, sir. Several other officers and I were breaking up parties that night. I was in a rush, sir.” She quietly sighed and added, “It is my own fault, sir. I do apologize.”

“It is understandable, sergeant.”

“Thank you, sir.”

The judge then returned his focus to Katia and he noticed how she was a little confused. “Miss Danforth?”

Katia quickly looked up at the judge.

“From what you’ve told and from what Sergeant Carver has reported, I can see you were merely trying to be helpful and protecting your friend’s well being. You are not guilty.”

The college student sighed in relief, her shoulders slumping.

Judge Task then looked at the state trooper. “Sergeant Carver, you are free to go.”

Ashley nodded her head and said, “Thank you, sir. Have a good day.”

“You too, sergeant.”

Ashley Carver made no eye contact with Katia as she turned and left the courtroom.

Judge Task lowered his gaze back to Katia. “Next time, I recommend you do not hold into your friend’s drink and tell her to get a fresh one.” Judge Task faintly smiled and added, “Until you’re twenty-one.”

Katia just faintly laughed at his joke. “Thank you, sir.”

“You are welcome but you must still pay the court fee, Miss Danforth.” The judge shifted in his chair some then continued his words. “You may pay at the front desk.”

“Thank you again, sir.”

“Please do not show up in my court again because I can’t excuse you more than once.” Judge Task stood up.

“Yes, sir.”

“Have a good weekend, Miss Danforth.” The judge warmly smiled then left his bench.

“You too, sir,” called Katia. She then happily smiled and quietly left the room. When she made it to the front desk, she approached the cashier behind the desk. “I need to pay for my court fees,” she explained.

The lady looked up from her desk and smiled at Katia. “You’re Katia Danforth, correct?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

The lady shook her head and said, “Sergeant Carver already paid for your court fee.”

“She what?” Katia grabbed the counter.

“She took care of the fee, Miss Danforth. You are settled.”

“Um… thank you.”

The lady chuckled. “Thank Sergeant Carver. Have a nice weekend.” She then stood up and went to the offices in the back.

“You too,” whispered Katia. She shook her head and went outside into the parking lot. She looked over at where the three patrol cars were parked. She noted the one state police car was gone so she glanced at the parking lot exit and there was the state trooper car. “Damn her,” she growled. She watched as Ashley drove off. She grumbled some and walked over to her car. “First she sends me to court then next she pays for it.” She huffed and shoved her key into the door’s lock. “Go figure with Ashley Carver.”

***

Ashley dropped her head back against her couch. She glanced down at her clock on the glass table between her and the television, it was eight thirty-two pm. It was also Sunday and she had yet to hear anything from Katia.

With a heavy sigh, she looked back at her television. She’d had the day off and tomorrow was also her day off, she had no plans. Suddenly her cell phone rang from across the room and she jumped. Ashley hurried over to the kitchen counter and picked up her phone.

“Hello?” Ashley reached forward and pulled out a stool from under the counter.

“Hey, Ashley. How’s it going?”

“Alright, Erin. How are you?”

Erin patted her stomach and closed her eyes. She was resting in her bed. “Things are okay.”

“Mmmm.”

“Hey… uh I heard what you did for Katia.” Erin bit her lower lip a little then added, “That was really nice of you.”

Ashley huffed and said, “Not good enough though.”

“You two still haven’t talked huh?”

The state trooper let out a deep sigh. “No… I guess she’s still mad.”

“Actually, not really so much. I mean that’s why I called too. I think she wants to talk to you its just….”

Ashley raised an eyebrow as she waited for Erin to finish her sentence.

Erin sighed. “I think she doesn’t now what to say, honestly.”

“Hi would work for me,” joked Ashley. “But… I think too she feels bad about it.”

“Yeah… I know she does,” agreed Erin. “Even though she tries to act still annoyed.” She pressed her lips together then said, “Honestly I think you catch up with her. And also because… well Sara and I really would love for you too.”

“Why?” Ashley had a confused look. “You say that like something is wrong.”

“Not really it’s just… Katia has been distracting herself by hanging out with this guy Bobby.”

“You mean that boy at the party?”

“The tall, muscular one?” Erin nodded her head. “Yeah, that’s Bobby.”

Ashley narrowed her eyes and asked, “Why? What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know… its just Sara and me even Mikie, we all have a problem with him. I don’t know what is about him but something isn’t right.” Erin rubbed her face some with her free hand then lowered it back to her side. “He’s just got some kinda bad, macho attitude that we all notice but Katia doesn’t.”

“He’s not….?”

Erin understood what Ashley was saying and quickly answered her. “No, nothing I know of. I guess I’m just paranoid he’s getting ready to ask Katia out. If he does, that’ll just bind Katia more to him. And we all know how dedicated Katia is to her friends much less a person she dates.”

Ashley faintly smiled at that but slowly lost it. “Yeah I know.”

“So… I just think it’d be good for you to talk to her.” Erin shook her head. “You’re the only one that can talk sense into her.”

Ashley grunted. “Yeah right.”

Erin chuckled and teased, “As long as it isn’t in the form of a ticket.”

Ashley laughed and only because she needed to laugh at it now. She settled down then some old thoughts occurred to her again. “By the way, do you happen to know why Katia ran away those few weeks ago?”

“You don’t know?” countered Erin.

“No, do you?”

Katia’s roommate released a heavy sigh. “I don’t know exactly why, I mean nobody seems to really but Katia but I have my ideas.”

“What’s yours?”

Erin was about to reply but then she heard a knock on the door. “Hold on.” She lifted her eyes to the door and said, “Come in.” She smiled when it was Sara.

“Who you talkin’ to?”

“Ashley,” replied Erin. “Come ‘ere.” She patted the open spot to her left on the bed.

Sara laughed and came around the bed. She climbed into it and rested next to her friend. “Hey Ashley,” she hollered.

Ashley grinned and said, “Tell her I said hi back.”

“Ashley says hi.” Erin briefly grinned then went serious. “Sorry Ashley, as I was saying… about a week before Katia ran away, something happened.”

Sara quietly listened but she made a point of snuggling up beside Erin.

“What happened to her?” inquired the trooper.

“Well this one Saturday night Katia went out to a party by herself. Mike couldn’t go because he had previous plans and Sara and I were too worn out to go.”

Sara shivered at the memories of that Saturday and instinctively curled up closer to Erin.

Erin brought her left arm over and slipped it under Sara. “So Katia just went by herself to this party and I don’t think she knew too many people.”

“What happened?” urged the impatient officer.

“That’s exactly it, we don’t know what happened.” Erin sensed Sara’s arm coming over her stomach. “When Katia came back from the party she was so upset, I’ve never seen her that upset, Ashley. I mean her face was covered in tears. What’s was even worse was she had bruises all up and down her arms and scratch marks on her face. Plus the right side of her lip was bleeding. Even her clothes were partially torn.”

Sara shuddered again and she tightened her arm around Erin’s waist.

Erin however continued her story. “Sara and I were just relaxing in the room when she came in like that. We both jumped up and were about ready to touch her and inspect her. Katia got scared of us and backed away… even told us to keep off of her. She kept insisting she was fine.”

Ashley closed her eyes and her left hand began to fist up. “Go on.”

Erin took a shaky breath then continued. “After that Katia went into the bathroom and was in the shower for at least two hours. Eventually she came back in and just laid in her bed, her back to us. The next day she got up and acted like nothing happened… like it all was just a bad dream. But for the rest of the week, she kept her distance from us… really wouldn’t talk. And to boot, Katia is… was a very touchy type of person, always giving us hugs but since then she really doesn’t.”

Ashley took a few calming breaths to try and control her anger. “After that she ran away, huh?”

“Yeah, I mean that Friday after class she just kinda disappeared. Then of course she came back with you and I mean she was completely different and has been since. I mean, she’s still different, still distant from us but not as bad as that one week. We were scared,” quietly admitted Erin.

Sara closed her eyes and snuggled her face into Erin’s side. She was now thinking about that one week too. She then pulled her head back and whispered, “Tell Ashley about how Katia comes back from her vacations.”

“What’d Sara say?” inquired Ashley.

Erin closed her eyes and whispered, “Sara said to tell you about Katia’s vacations.”

“Why?” uttered Ashley.

Erin could tell from Ashley’s tone that she was trying hard to remain in control of her anger. “When we have our breaks for Spring Break or whatever, we all typically go home of course.”

“Yeah sure,” agreed Ashley.

“So last year when Katia came back from her Spring Break she came back rather bruised up. She also had a broken arm when she came back.”

“She say how it happen?”

Erin huffed and replied, “She shrugged and said she’s a klutz and fell down the stairs at home.”

“Katia is no klutz either,” loudly spoke up Sara.

Ashley could hear what Sara said and she completely agreed.

“Nor was Katia exactly happy to be going home for Spring Break. And lately we’ve been talking about Thanksgiving break since its coming up and she is not excited in the least. She said she rather stay here than go home to family.” Erin listened to the state trooper deeply sigh. “I know her and her father don’t get along well so… I don’t know if that’s it or if we’re reading too much into it.”

“I don’t think you are,” quietly admitted Ashley. “I know her and Lisa don’t get along well either.”

“Its not so much they don’t get along,” explained Erin, “but Katia resents Lisa. I know her and her mother get along well though.”

“That’s good,” quietly said Ashley.

Sara suddenly lifted her head and tilted it to one side. “Somebody is coming,” she whispered.

Erin’s eyes widened and she heard the person grab the door knob.

“Shit,” hissed Sara and she pulled away from Erin. She looked up and smiled when Katia came into the room.

“Well that’s about it,” said Erin to Ashley.

“Hey Katia,” loudly greeted Sara.

“Hey Sara.” Katia came between the beds and sat down on hers.

“No problem,” replied Erin. “Yeah, I’ll talk to you later. Uh huh… I will, don’t worry.”

“Who is she talking to?” asked Katia.

Sara shrugged and replied, “Some friend.”

“Yeah, I’ll keep you posted. Try talking to her soon, okay? Thanks… alright See yah.” Erin pulled the phone away from her ear and pushed the end button. “How are yah, Katia?”

Katia smiled at her roommate. “Not bad.” She then lost her smile as concern came over her features. “Have you spoken with Ashley yet?”

Katia sighed and bent forward with her elbows on her knees. “No… I’m kinda not sure what to say to her. Plus I’m worried I’ll get angry all of sudden if I see her.”

“Haven’t you gotten over it yet?” teased Sara.

Katia rested her chin in her hands as she considered Sara’s question in a more serious matter. “I have its just… I don’t know.”

“Maybe you should talk to her,” suggested Erin. “I think she’s suffered enough retribution from you.” She slightly grinned in hopes her roommate knew she was partially kidding.

Yet instead Katia let out a very deep sigh. “Yeah I know, Erin.” Her eyes dropped as she muttered, “I’m such a bitch some times.”

Erin quickly reached over and tapped her roommate’s knee with her cell phone. “You’ll be a bitch if you don’t talk to her and not thank her for paying for that court fee.” She then grinned when green eyes lifted to her.

Katia faintly laughed and nodded her head. “Yeah… I know.”

Erin smiled because she knew Katia was starting to let go. “So… how are things with Bobby?”

Katia laughed and she straightened up. “He actually asked me out.”

Erin’s eyes initially widened in fear but she recovered herself.

Sara quickly took Katia’s attention off Erin by asking, “What’d you say?”

“Yes, of course.” Katia smirked. “Don’t want ya’ll thinking I’m going gay on you.”

Sara grunted at that.

“Actually I need to go catch up with him.” Katia was looking at her watch then she peered up at her friends. “Then I need to get my homework finished.” She was already getting off the bed.

“Don’t be too long,” advised Erin.

“Yes, mother,” teased Katia. “See yah both later.”

“Bye,” called Erin and Sara together.

After Katia left, Sara sighed and looked at her friend. “Not that I have anything against Bobby but… fuck him goddamn it,” she growled.

“Sara,” warned the older girl.

“He’s messing up our plans,” reminded Sara.

Erin smirked and countered, “You mean, your plans…?”

“Whatever… you’re in on this just as much as Mikie and me.”

“Oh no,” protested Erin, “I got pushed into this… there’s a difference.”

“Oh yeah sure, you’re really upset about it,” teased Sara.

“You’re just pissed that Bobby did something you didn’t expect.”

Sara grumbled, folded her arms over her chest, and stared up at the ceiling.

Erin rolled out of the bed and walked to the door. She turned off the over head light and came back to the bed. “It’ll just make things more interesting,” she considered aloud.

Sara raised an eyebrow at her friend. “Yeah sure.” She looked away and stared up at the ceiling. “He’s gonna do something, I know it, Erin.”

“Don’t worry.”

“Aren’t you?” Sara looked at her friend when she got into the bed with her again. “We can’t let anything happen to Katia… like last time.”

Erin sighed as she felt her own guilt come back. “We can’t just stick a spy on Katia’s tail.”

“That’s what I thought Ashley was for,” joked Sara but she sadly sighed. “I’ll kill him myself if he does anything.”

“I think you’ll have to get in line and Ashley will be first.”

Sara glanced at her friend. “You know, all my plans get screwed up like this.”

“All of them?” probed Erin. She rolled onto her left side so she could face Sara.

“Yeah,” muttered Sara. “I mean god I’d have better luck asking out Ashley than….” She trailed off when she realized what she was saying.

Erin felt a grin start to pull at her lips. “Than?” she urged.

Sara attention was pulled to Erin by the strong gaze Erin had on her. “Than nothing,” she groused and turned her head away.

Erin sighed but reached over and pressed her fingertips to the opposite side of Sara’s chin. She gently turned Sara’s face back to her. “Than?”

Sara closed her eyes and after a long sigh, she whispered, “Than you.” When she opened her eyes again, she found an amused expression on Erin’s face.

“You haven’t even tried,” quietly reminded Erin. She grinned as she lowered her head and whispered, “Hmph…maybe if you tried than you’ll have luck.” She winked then quickly pulled away and got out of the bed. “I think I’m going to go find some food.” She went to her desk and picked up her wallet. “Hungry?”

“Uh….” Sara sat up and after she blinked she replied, “Yeah.”

“Come on then.” Erin was already heading out the door.

Sara quickly jumped out and followed after her friend but not without closing and locking the door. “Wait up,” she called down the hall.

Erin was holding the door to the stairwell. When Sara stepped through it, she came up behind Sara and as she passed her, she grabbed Sara’s hand. “Come on, I’m hungry.”

Sara laughed as she laced their hands together. She rushed down the steps to keep up with Erin. “Anything for the queen.”

“No I’m not the queen, Katia is,” joked Erin. “Remember? I’m just second rate.” She and Sara came to the door at the bottom level but she didn’t open it since Sara stepped in the way.

Sara grinned and squeezed the larger hand. “Not second rate… to me.”

Erin grabbed the door knob with her right hand yet didn’t open it. “Thank you,” she whispered. Erin then leaned forward some but paused. She took a second to enjoy how Sara sucked in her breath in surprise. Erin lowered her head the rest of the way and just slightly touched her lips against Sara’s. She pulled back and grinned at Sara’s shocked look. “God I’m starving,” she joked and flung the door open.

Sara groaned when the door came in front of her face and she lost her hand contact with Erin. She grabbed the door before it closed. “Goddamn it she’s gonna be the death of me.” She came around the door and rushed off to catch up to Erin.

**To be continued.**


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

“Hey, where are you headed?” quickly asked Erin.

Katia turned around in the doorway of their bedroom. “I need to make a run to the bank. I didn’t get a chance to deposit my pay check.”

Erin looked at the clock on her desk. “You have feminism soon, don’t you?”

“Yeah I know so I really need to go,” persisted Katia.

The roommate nodded her head. “Alright… I’ll see you later.”

Katia smiled and headed out the door. “See yah, Erin.”

Erin watched her leave she then returned to gathering up her books for her first class this morning.

Katia however rushed out of the dorm and went to her car. She tossed her book bag in the passenger seat with her purse then she started the car. She backed out quickly and drove to her bank. As she drove there, she kept looking at the clock in her dash. She turned into the bank and found a parking spot.

Katia went into the bank and stepped into a teller line. She then fumbled through her purse and pulled out her pay check and an already filled out deposit slip. After she deposited her check with the teller, she hurried back out to her car but she had her head down and busy putting her deposit receipt away.

Katia then pulled out her car key and when she looked up her eyes locked on Ashley Carver. She took a few more steps then stopped and just stared at her friend.

The state trooper was leaning against the trunk of her red Mercedes, her arms folded over her chest. She dropped her head to one side when Katia stopped coming towards her.

The college student was trying to urge herself to keep moving. She gripped her Mercedes key a little harder and continued to go to her car.

Ashley had parked her car to the left of Katia’s. She turned her head as Katia came over to her left side. “Not even a hi, huh?”

Katia inserted her key into the car but she didn’t unlock it. She lifted her head and stared out at the street. She could tell Ashley’s tone was upset and not spiteful. “Hi….” She turned her head and looked at Ashley over her shoulder. “How’s that?”

The state trooper dropped her head some and stared at the pavement. “Better than fuck you, I guess.”

Katia huffed and she turned her key to unlock her car. She grabbed the handle of her door after she pulled her key out. She started to open the door but suddenly a large hand pushed it closed again. She looked up at her best friend with annoyance.

“Are you really that mad at me?” quietly asked Ashley.

Katia narrowed her eyes and she let go of the door’s handle. “Well wouldn’t you be if I stabbed you in the back?”

“Katia, that’s not fair.”

“Nor were you,” countered the younger woman.

Ashley bent forward some and brought her face closer to Katia’s. “I cannot believe you’re backing me up into a corner like this.”

“What?” hotly whispered Katia.

“You’re making me chose between my job and you. That’s not fair, Katia. I’m sorry I did so much for you.” Ashley shook her head and straightened up. “Thanks for being a friend and understanding my side.” She suddenly turned around and walked off towards the bank.

Katia dropped her head and her thoughts quickly ran through her head. She closed her eyes when she felt her frustration grow but not at Ashley instead it was at herself. When she opened her eyes again, she saw Ashley was almost to the bank door. “Ashley,” she hollered.

The state trooper had the door open to the bank but she hesitated to enter. She paused then let go of the door and turned to Katia’s direction.

Katia bit really hard on her lower lip but she jogged over to Ashley.

The officer stepped off to the side of the bank, away from the main doors.

Katia slowed down as she came up to the older woman. She stood in an open parking spot while Ashley remained up on the sidewalk. She had to drop her head back some since Ashley seemed to gain another inch of height from standing on the sidewalk. “Ashley….”

Ashley put her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow at her friend.

“I just don’t know when to quit, do I?” Katia watched as Ashley’s hard eyes began to soften to her. “I hold grudges, bad ones and to be honest… I was just really hurt.”

Ashley’s hands fell from her hips and she whispered, “I know you were and it hurt me to do it, Katia. I am sorry about it.”

Katia closed her eyes and she suddenly stepped forward to grab Ashley for a hug.

Ashley was a little surprised yet she didn’t hesitate to hug her friend back. She stepped off the sidewalk and was able to pull Katia in closer.

“I’m sorry, Ashley,” whispered Katia. She had the side of her face pressed against Ashley’s chest and her eyes closed.

“I know,” uttered Ashley. She lowered her head so she could kiss the top of Katia’s head. She then buried her face into Katia’s head and tightly held her.

Katia was taking a shaky breath as she muttered, “God I missed you.” She sighed and muttered, “I’m such a bitch.”

“Nah… just really stubborn,” teased Ashley. “It's okay now huh?” She felt Katia nod her head some.

“Mmmm… I love you, Ash.”

Slowly a smile etched on Ashley’s lips. “Love you too, Katia.” She tightly squeezed the smaller woman. “And if we stay like this people are going to really wonder.”

Katia giggled and lifted her head. She looked over at the main doors of the bank at the corner. She saw how some people were headed to the doors and giving them odd looks. “They’re just jealous,” she joked.

Ashley chuckled and despite she knew she should let go of Katia she couldn’t bring herself to do it.

Katia squeezed her arms tightly around Ashley then she let go.

The state trooper also released her friend and took a small step back. “I do need to talk to you later about something.”

The college student nodded.

“Can you come over tonight?” encouraged Ashley.

“Yeah sure.” Katia brightened up at the promise of spending time with Ashley again. “When?”

“Around five o’clock.”

“Wait.” Katia became even more excited, she grabbed Ashley’s left arm. “I’ll make dinner for us. What you feel like?”

Ashley smiled at the suggestion. “Mmmm… Italian.”

“Spaghetti then.” Katia grinned and her nose wrinkled up some. “Garlic bread too.”

“Definitely,” agreed the officer. “And fresh parmesan.”

“Perfect.” Katia happily chuckled as she let go of Ashley's muscular arm. “You have vanilla and chocolate ice cream for later?”

“Breyers,” simply stated Ashley.

“Mmmmm.” Katia’s eyes were so wide with excitement. “Okay I’ll be there at five with the food supplies.”

Ashley laughed. “Deal.” She then turned to head off to the bank. “I’ll see yah then, K.”

“Bye, Ashley.” Katia went to her car but then she paused in the middle of her stride. “Oh shit I’m late for class!” She suddenly took off running to her car.

Ashley had heard it when she got the door. She laughed and yelled, “Don’t speed!”

“Yes, Officer,” mocked Katia. She jumped into her car after waving to Ashley.

Ashley watched her best friend fly out of the parking lot. “One of these days she’s gonna get a ticket, I swear.” She chuckled and went into the bank.

***

Katia was driving from the grocery store to Ashley’s house. She was so excited to see her best friend after it’d been over a week since they’d spent time together. She was also glad that she was able to finish up all her homework between classes, it just meant she’d have more time to spend with Ashley. However she was nervous about what Ashley had to talk to her about, she couldn’t imagine what.

Suddenly when she pulled into Ashley’s driveway, she felt even more nervous. She parked her car in the driveway and her stomach turned as she stared at the house. After a few controlled breaths, she got out of the car and went to her back door. She pulled out the grocery bag of food and went to the front door. As she approached the door, she spotted something on the wood door behind the screen door. She pulled open the screen door and saw it was a note with her name at the top. “Oh damn,” she muttered.

Katia pulled the taped note off the door and unfolded it. She furrowed her eyebrows as she read it over.

_Katia,_

_I’m sorry but something last minute came up with Laurel. After I left the bank this morning she called me and I had to take off to Lancaster. But don’t worry, I’ll be back by six and if I end up being any later, I’ll call. We have plans and I won’t break them._

_To your right is a large grey stone in the flowerbed, lift it up and you’ll find my spare house key. Use anything in the house you want and I’ll see you soon. Sorry again about this._

_Love,_

_Ash._

Katia lowered the note and despite she was upset Ashley wasn’t here, she was still happy. She looked to her right and saw the rock. She lowered the grocery bag onto the ground then knelt down and plucked the key out from under the rock. She inserted it into the lock and unlocked the door. She then pushed open the door and grabbed her groceries.

She looked around at the clean and partially dark dinning room. She turned her head to the right and saw the light switch panel. She started flicking random switches and the overhead lights came on over the dinning table. “Bingo,” she whispered.

Katia walked over to the kitchen and lifted the bag onto the counter. She started pulling things out and placed the ground chuck into the fridge with the garlic bread and cheese. The spaghetti sauce she left next to the stove.

Katia then walked into the hallway and peered through Ashley’s open bedroom door. She smiled at how Ashley finally had everything moved in and organized. She nodded then looked to her left and she opened that door.

Inside this bedroom was a single bed and a chest of drawers with a few pictures hanging on the walls. “Spare bedroom,” she muttered. She then walked a little ways down the hall and opened the next door on the left side. She peered in to find Ashley’s office.

“Hmmm.” Katia stepped into the room and approached the computer desk. She noted the screen saver was running but she didn’t touch the computer. Instead her eyes drifted to the desk where she saw two Memorex cd cases. Carefully she picked up one and read what Ashley wrote on it. “4 Strings,” she muttered. Her eyes then flickered down to the other cd case and she read that aloud too. “Lasgo. Oh crap… I need to return that to her.” She chuckled and put the cd case back down carefully.

Katia studied the room some more and nodded a few times. She then quietly left and went back into the main dinning room. She then went behind the kitchen counter and decided to get everything prepped before Ashley showed.

Within ten minutes, Katia had the pot of water out on the stove, a strainer in the sink for later, and a cookie sheet out for the garlic bread. Lastly, she was setting the dinner table with placements then napkins, forks, and knives. Then as she was about to get a drink, her back pocket suddenly started playing the Turkish March. “Crap!” She fumbled to get her cell phone out of her corduroy pocket but she dropped it on the floor. “Thank god for phone insurance,” she joked as she swiped the ringing phone off the floor.

“Hello?”

“Hey, K.”

Katia laughed and said, “Hi, Ash. Where are yah?”

“I’m about forty-five minutes from home.”

The young woman smiled as she went to the front side of the counter. “Everything okay?” She pulled out a stool and sat down.

“Yeah, yeah… they’re fine. You got into the house okay?”

“Oh yeah… no problems.” Katia glanced over at the kitchen area. “I have everything ready. Just need to cook it when you get home.”

“I’ll be there soon,” promised Ashley. “Just relax and watch some tv.”

“Thinking about it,” agreed the younger woman.

“Good.” Ashley suddenly drove into the opposite lane of traffic and hit her gas hard. She sped past the slower person then got back into her lane of traffic. “I better concentrate on my driving. I don’t need a ticket or anything.”

Katia laughed. “Yeah right. Okay… I’ll see you soon.”

“You got it.” Ashley smiled and said, “Bye.”

“Drive safely. Bye, Ash.” Katia pulled the phone away and flipped it shut.

Ashley smiled and closed her phone as well. She tucked into the small cubby in her dash.

Katia was about to slip off the stool when her cell phone began playing the Turkish March again. She read the name on the caller id, which said Mike. She flipped her phone open and pressed the Send button. “Hi, Mikie.”

“Hi, honey. Where are you?”

“At Ashley’s.”

Mike suddenly grinned. “Oh really?” He was walking away from the cafateria to his dorm. “You two kissed and made out?”

“Haha… we talked.”

“So what you doing over at her place?” probed the young man.

Katia smirked and replied, “I’m making dinner.”

“Oh you’re eeeating ooout huh?” teased Mike in a very high pitched tone.

“Mike!” hissed Katia. “That is just so… grouse.” She heard Mike snicker over the phone. “That is.”

“You won’t think so once you get a taste of-”

“Mike,” growled Katia, “I have a boyfriend.”

“That doesn’t mean aaanything, Katia.” Mike smirked to himself. He went up the steps to the dorm but sat down on the top one. “If anything, he’ll really make you go lesbian.”

Katia groaned and rolled her eyes. “Why do I talk to you?”

Mike grinned but he considered it for a second. “Because you love me.”

“I guess that’s true,” agreed Katia. “Damn.” She laughed with Mike. “What you doing tonight?”

“My stupid bio project.”

“Isn’t Sara suppose to help you? You two are partners.”

“Cha’right.” Mike sarcastically laughed. “That girl is too busy drooling over Erin.”

Katia shook her head as she grinned a little. “Is something going on between those two?”

“I don’t know,” admitted Mike in a frustrated tone. “If I knew, I’d tell the whole world.”

“Exactly why they wouldn’t tell you in the first place,” teased Katia.

“Thanks,” deadpanned the young man. He sighed and stretched his legs out. “Look I better go… I have a lot of work to do.” He laughed and said, “Gotta save Sara’s ass while she’s getting some ass.”

“Mike.” Katia groaned and dropped her head. “You need to let them be.”

“No, Sara needs to stop playing with Erin and help me out. Hence the name ‘group’ project.” He sighed again then stood up.

“Just go ask her for her help, Mikie. You know she’ll stop, drop and roll for you.”

Mike softly laughed. “Yeah… I’ll ask.” He turned to the door. “I’ll see you tomorrow, alright?”

“Alright. Goodnight, Mike.”

“Bye.” Mike heard Katia say bye and he hung up the cell phone.

Katia slid off the stool and walked over to the couch. She took off her shoes then flopped into the couch. She snuggled into the cool leather that warmed up against her body. She then reached across with her free hand and grabbed the remote. She hit the power button and was greeted by an episode of Sienfeld. She decided to leave it there and put the remote back on the coffee table. Katia snuggled more into the couch and she kept her cell phone in her right hand.

Eventually Katia drifted asleep and she never heard Ashley drove up and come into the house. It was a little after six o’clock that Ashley pushed open the front door and quietly entered. She noted how only the overhead dinning light lit up the dark room.

Ashley looked off to her right when she heard the tv. She smiled when she saw Katia curled up on the couch and contently sleeping. Silently she crossed over to the living room and kneeled down in front of Katia. She chuckled when she noted the cell phone resting in Katia’s hand. She reached forward and carefully extracted the cell phone from her friend’s hand. She half turned and placed it on the coffee table.

“Mmmm.” Katia pulled her now empty hand closer to her chest.

The state trooper shook her head then brushed away some of Katia’s short golden strands. “Come on, sleepyhead.”

“Mmmm,” muttered the college student. She turned her head inward and buried her face into the sofa.

“You do love to sleep,” whispered Ashley.

“Only… here,” murmured a groggy Katia. She lifted her head some and she half opened her eyes. She reached up with her right hand and wiped at the right side of her cheek. “Gross.”

Ashley laughed and teased her friend. “Looks like you slept pretty well.” She then smirked and further tormented Katia. “Made your mark on my car window and now my sofa.” She listened to a grumble come from Katia.

Katia wiped her hand off on her pant leg then sat up. She looked at Ashley with a very muddled look as she ran her fingers through her hair. “What time is it?”

“About six fifteen,” whispered Ashley. She stood up and sat down on the edge of the sofa so she could face her friend. “Sleep okay?”

“Mmmm.” Katia rubbed her face some. “If it was a little longer it’d been nicer.”

“But then you’d miss dinner.”

Katia chuckled and said, “Its never too late for dinner… or we just move into breakfast.”

Ashley smiled at that as she studied her friend.

Katia’s expression then turned into curiosity. “What’d you wanna talk about?”

“It can wait until you’re… more awake.”

“I’m awake,” protested Katia. “Besides… I need to be more awake to know what I’m cooking versus talking about.”

Ashley lifted an eyebrow in response.

Katia sighed and said, “Get me something to drink then that’ll help.”

The state trooper grinned and stood up. She went into the kitchen and pulled out a glass from one of the top cupboards. She went to the refrigerator and filled it with cold water.

“How was the drive from Lancaster?”

Ashley came over and handed her friend the drink. “Quick thankfully.” She sat back down in her original spot.

“Everything okay with Laurel?”

Ashley shrugged and replied, “More or less.” She realized Katia was waking up more. She sighed and she decided she mind as well get it over with now. “That’s kinda what I wanted to talk to you about.”

Katia paused in the middle of taking another drink of water. Instead she put the glass down on the table. “Okay… go on.”

Ashley lowered her gaze some and she really considered if this was the right thing to tell Katia.

Katia sensed the confusion her friend was having so she sort of lowered her head and peered up into worried blue eyes. “You know, there’s nothing you can tell me that would mess us up.” She smiled when Ashley smiled at her. “I’m being honest.”

“I know,” whispered Ashley. “I still worry.”

“You shouldn’t,” protested Katia. “And you’re not protecting me from anything anyway. You and the rest of the lot try to protect me all the time like I’m not strong.” She grinned some as she said, “I’ve been through a lot of shit in my time, Ashley. Nothing is going to throw me for a loop.”

Ashley somewhat nodded her head.

“You’re not going to screw up anything,” promised Katia.

Ashley slowly lifted her head and she tried to regain some of her courage. She couldn’t understand why she was so worried and even scared of Katia’s reaction. After another second of mentally readying herself, Ashley finally spoke. “You know how you joke about how you seem to attract gays?”

“Mmmm.” Katia raised an eyebrow.

“You really do.” Ashley raised her own eyebrow in suggestion.

Katia opened her mouth some but didn’t say anything as she thought about it. Suddenly all of her suspicions became truth to her. She closed her eyes and started to chuckle and when she looked at Ashley again, she joked, “Not another one.”

“Afraid so,” teased Ashley some. “But I’m not as bad as Sara.”

“Oh that’s a relief,” joked Katia. She then suddenly narrowed her eyes despite a grin on her face. “Is that what you’ve been stressed out about?”

“Yeah,” admitted Ashley. “I didn’t know how you’d react knowing I’m a lesbian.”

Katia swallowed when Ashley actually said the word in that way. “Why would I react badly? I mean look at Mike and Sara.”

“I know but I also know our friendship is….” Ashley wasn’t sure what word to use.

“Is more,” quietly finished Katia. “I know.” She reached forward and took Ashley’s hands into her own. “It doesn’t bother me and to be honest, I really appreciate it.” She suddenly saw a confused look come over Ashley. “It just makes me feel good to know you can trust me enough to tell me, yah know.” She gently squeezed her friend’s hands. “Trust me… it’ll bring us closer.” Slowly she began to smile when Ashley smiled at her. But then she shook her head and asked, “What’s this have to do… with Laur….” Suddenly her expression snapped into realization. “Oh duh, she’s your girlfriend.”

Ashley softly laughed but she smiled as she continued to run her right thumb over the top of Katia’s hand. “We’ve been together for about… mmmm… since July, I think.” Yet she had a confused look. “No wait maybe it was August… yeah it was August.”

Katia laughed and decided to tease her friend. “You’re terrible. I can tell this is a pretty serious relationship huh?”

The state trooper huffed. “Yeah right.” She then gestured to their hands by lifting them. “That’s why I’m sitting here holding hands with my best friend.”

The college student smirked and said, “See there? You just spoiled that.” She suddenly jumped up, which separated their hands. “And I need to make us dinner.” She put her shoes back on then grabbed her glass of water and went to the kitchen.

Ashley grumbled at herself then decided to get up too. She sat down on the stool Katia had pulled out earlier. She rested her arms on the counter top and just watched Katia begin to cook.

Katia put her glass of water on the counter near Ashley. She then went to the stove and turned on the gas burner over the pot of water. “You like Laurel a lot?” she casually asked while she was turning the oven on to 350 degrees.

“That’s a… complicated topic.”

“How’s that?” Katia glanced at her friend while she was pulling stuff out of the fridge.

Ashley sighed as she leaned against the counter. “I just get frustrated with driving up there all the time.”

“She doesn’t come down here?” Katia put the garlic bread near the cookie pan. “I mean, has she ever driven down?”

Ashley actually considered her friend’s question. “Twice when I was in Baltimore. She hasn’t come down here to Salisbury yet.”

“She knows you moved here, right?” Katia was now busy breaking the garlic bread open so each half could cook properly.

“Yeah she does.”

Katia was crossing back over to the stove where she’d left her ground chuck beside the sauce. She picked up the package of ground chuck and started tearing off the seal. “You never really told me why you moved here.”

Ashley’s eyes shifted to the right of the counter and she spotted her spare key. She reached over and plucked it off the counter. She began to fiddle with it.

“Ashley,” drew out Katia. She pushed the ground chuck around in the pan some with a wood spoon. “Come on, you just told me you like women. What else you gonna try to hide?” she teased.

Ashley chuckled some but she was staring down at her key. “I moved here mainly to be closer to you,” she quietly admitted. She then shrugged and added, “Plus its closer to my mother’s place and I wanted to get away from the city.” She grinned as she said, “You were just the excuse I was looking for to move.”

“Thanks,” teased back Katia but she was smiling. “I’m glad you did come here.”

Ashley faintly nodded as she smiled. She finally straightened up on the stool.

“Oh by the way….” Katia turned a little and pointed the wooden spoon at her friend. “You never told me you’re a sergeant.”

“You never asked,” protested the sergeant.

Katia groaned and rolled her eyes. “Didn’t think it required that.”

“Its right on my badge,” muttered Ashley, a grin on her lips.

Katia shook her head as she continued moving the greying beef. “That reminds me. Why don’t you ever drive your patrol car home? Most state police do, don’t they?”

“Yeah they do,” agreed Ashley, “but I don’t like to bring my work home with me.” She grinned at Katia’s funny look. “Nor do I like to date my work.”

Katia actually laughed at that. “Yeah I can understand that.”

“Besides,” continued the state trooper, “I’m not sure I’d ever make it home.”

“What you mean?”

Ashley shrugged. “If I go home in the patrol car I’m bound to hear something over the radio and respond to the call.” She grinned when Katia chuckled at her. “That’s like I have to leave my radio at work because otherwise I’ll leave it on while I’m driving home. If I heard a call I could do, I’d respond to that too.”

Katia smiled at how dedicated her friend was to her job. “You really love that job.”

“I do,” agreed Ashley. Her eyes travelled with Katia as the young woman put the garlic into the oven. “It’s a great job and the government is good to me.”

“And to think some of my taxes go into your pay check,” teased Ashley.

“They sure do,” agreed Ashley, a huge smirk on her face.

“Good that means you can be my personal state trooper.”

Ashley’s mouth slightly hung open. “You have to share now, K.”

“I’ll consider it,” teased the smaller woman. She started carefully putting the noodles into the boiling water. “Can you do me a favour?”

“Sure.” Ashley hopped off the stool.

“There’s a block of parmesan cheese in there. Can you grade it for me?”

“At your service.” Ashley caught the smirk from Katia as she pulled out the cheese grader board from one of her drawers. “So anything interesting happen this past week?”

“Yeah, I got into a fight with my best friend,” joked Katia.

The state trooper groaned rather dramatically. “Don’t remind me. I think that was worse than going through basics back in the Army.”

“Whatever,” teased Katia. She was busy watching over the noodles as well as stirring the sauce and ground beef together. “And you know you shouldn’t have lied in court.”

“Wait… wait.” Ashley partially laughed as she continued speaking. “Let me get this right. It wasn’t okay for me to give you a citation and obeying the law. And it’s not okay to lie in court for you because its against the law.” She turned her head and looked over her shoulder across the kitchen. “Do I have that right?”

Katia tried to act nonchalant about it as she casually asked, “So what’s your point?” She moved closer to the pot with the noodles and she picked up the plastic spoon. She started to pull out a noodle to test it’s tenderness.

“You’re unbelievable, Katia.”

The college student huffed after she ate the soft noodle. “Me?” She turned off the burners. “I wasn’t the one that sent me to court then go and pay for the court fees.” She picked up the pot of noodle and carried it to the sink where the strainer was waiting.

Ashley looked over at Katia with her mouth open and hurt expression. “See if I ever try to seek forgiveness from you again.”

Katia grinned at her friend as she started to pour the noodles and boiling water into the strainer. “Can you get the bread out for me?”

Ashley lowered the grader near the bowl of freshly graded cheese. She quickly moved to the oven and grabbed the hot mitt that rested on the kitchen counter. She opened the oven and pulled out the cookie sheet with the now perfectly cooked bread. “How you time this right?”

Katia smirked as she lowered the pot of noodles down onto the stove again. “Experience, baby… experience.”

The state trooper was shaking her head as she grabbed a hot plate. She put them both down on the kitchen counter and asked for a knife. Katia handed her one and after she got the mitt off, she started slicing up the bread.

“Here.” Katia placed a breadbasket next to her friend.

“How do you know where all my stuff is?”

Katia laughed and replied, “I don’t know… I just… do.” She was busy pulling out two plates and started putting noodles on them then the sauce. She then picked up the two plates and started for the dinning room table. “Come on, pokey.”

Ashley grumbled but grabbed the now filled breadbasket. She put the basket down then asked, “What you want to drink?”

“Tea, please.” Katia grinned at her friend then she sat down in her spot. “Don’t forget that cheese.”

“Got it.” Ashley came back over in a minute with two glasses of tea and a bowl of cheese. “Are we set?”

“We are,” agreed Katia. She first took some of the cheese that Ashley offered her then she mixed everything together. “Mmmmm.”

Ashley grinned and nodded her head. “I second that.” She was busy mixing her spaghetti all together and also grabbing a piece of garlic bread. “Wanna quit college and be my personal chef?”

Katia laughed right before she took a mouthful of spaghetti. “No, I promised somebody I’d get my degree.”

“Good girl,” teased Ashley and she went quiet as she ate her meal.

Katia happily ate hers as well. And every now and again, Ashley would hear her starting to hum her happy food song. Ashley would just grin to herself while being entertained by Katia’s humming. After they finished, they took all the dishes into the kitchen and Ashley tried to shove Katia off so she could do the dishes.

Katia grabbed the dishtowel off the handle on the oven. She twirled it then snapped it at Ashley’s back. “I’m drying.”

Ashley turned around and raised an eyebrow at her friend. “Do that again, I dare you.” She lifted her hands out of the soapy water and tensed up.

Katia couldn’t help it as she snapped the towel again at her friend.

Ashley quickly acted and her hands shot out to grab the towel. She suddenly jerked the towel with a lot of force.

“Wooooo.” Katia went stumbling forward until she smashed into Ashley’s body. She also lost her grip on the towel. She dropped her head back and peered up at devilish blue eyes. “Hi.”

“Hmmmm.” Ashley smirked as she balled up the towel in her right hand. She reached back and dipped the towel into the water. “You wanna know how to really crack one of these?”

Katia suddenly straightened up and took a step away. “Not really. Thanks though.”

“Oh no, I completely insist.” Ashley tightly squeezed the cloth towel until all the water rang out. She brought the towel back in front. Her grin grew when Katia started walking backwards away. “Come on, Katia.”

“Ash, really I didn’t mean nothin’.”

Ashley bent her knees and started twirling the wet towel tightly. “Sure.” She stalked forward after her prey. “Just keep that in mind when….” She jumped forward. “When I do this!” She snapped the towel.

Katia screamed and jumped away just in time as it cracked near her stomach. “Ashley!” Ashley simply evilly laughed at her and she screamed again when the towel snapped at her chest. “Don’t you dare,” she growled, her eyes flaring with anger.

“Or what huh?” Ashley knew if she cracked it this time, she really would catch Katia with it. “Or what, Katia?” She narrowed her darkening eyes and she started to take aim.

Katia squealed in fear and broke off running into the living room. She went to the opposite side of the couch. “Ashley, this not funny anymore.”

Ashley gave a deep, low laugh that made Katia shiver. “I think it is.”

Katia’s mouth hung open and she suddenly growled. She grabbed one of the sofa cushions and held it up like a shield. “Stay back, Ash.” She started to come towards her friend. “You don’t wanna get that soapy water on your leather cushion now.”

Ashley grounded her teeth because she really didn’t want to either. She watched as Katia came towards her with the cushion in front. She liked how Katia made sure to keep the cushion facing her. “You can’t hide anywhere, Katia.”

“You wanna bet?” called Katia from behind the cushion. She came right up to Ashley then rotated around Ashley then started walking backwards back into the living room.

“Hey Katia, don’t forget your legs!” Ashley suddenly leapt forward and cracked the towel.

Katia squealed when the tip of the towel just missed her legs. “Ashley!” she hissed then started to walk even faster and came into the hallway.

“You’re starting to run out of space, Katia.” Ashley was twirling the towel again. “Better give up.”

“Never,” growled Katia. She then suddenly dropped the cushion and jumped for Ashley’s bedroom door. She flung it open and went running and screaming into the room.

“Katia!” yelled the state trooper. But soon as she made it to the door it slammed shut in her face. “Katia Danforth!” She grabbed the doorknob and started to hastily turn it.

Katia screamed and grabbed the doorknob. She tried to turn it back and she pushed all her weight against the door as Ashley tried to open it. “Isn’t there a lock on this thing?” she growled as she tried to find one on the door in the darkness.

Ashley started to lose her grip on the doorknob since her hands were wet from the towel. She growled when she lost her grip and she heard the door shut and lock. “Damn it.” Behind the door she could hear Katia laughing at her. She huffed and glared at the door like it was Katia. “Katia, let me in.”

“I don’t think so,” called a laughing voice. “Get real, Ash.”

The state trooper growled and bent down to jerk the towel off the floor. “Fine! I’ll just do the dishes by myself.”

“Yeah sure,” teased Katia. “You’re too worried about getting me.”

Ashley smirked. She shook her head and walked into the kitchen. She tossed the towel on the counter then pulled out a new one from one of the drawers. As she dried her hands, she thought about how to get her friend out of the bedroom. Her eyes travelled around in the room and she looked over at the television that was still on now. Her eyes then lowered some to Katia’s cell phone resting on the coffee table. She suddenly had a huge grin on her face.

“Ashley?” yelled Katia through the door. “What you doing out there?”

“Getting ready to do the dishes,” joked Ashley. She was grabbing Katia’s cell phone off the coffee table and she took it to the kitchen counter. She tossed it in her hands a few times then she decided on her final plan. She placed it on the counter closest to the living room area. “You can’t stay in there forever, Katia!”

“Maybe not but I know I’m safe in here!” hollered the college student. “And I got a nice huge bed too!”

Ashley groaned and rolled her eyes. “Fine you can sleep!” she yelled out, “but I’m going to the DQ for ice cream!” She went to the door and opened the big wood door. “By myself!” she yelled even louder.

Katia’s mouth hung open and she hotly whispered, “Dairy Queen… by herself?” She growled. “That damn cop.”

“See yah!” yelled Ashley. She stood in the living room with the door open and she suddenly slammed it hard. She then remained quiet for a second and noticed Katia wasn’t making any noise, yet. She smirked and silently walked back over to the kitchen counter and went into the living room area. Then Ashley went around the corner where the counter and wall met and she pressed her back against the wall in the living room.

Katia stood by the bedroom door, her ear against the door. “I can’t believe she went without me,” she seethed.

Ashley then smirked as she unclipped her cell phone from her side. She flipped it open then brought up Katia’s number. After resisting her evil laugh, she hit the send button and within a second Katia’s cell phone started ringing.

Katia lifted her ear off the door when she heard the Turkish March outside the door. “Oh damn it, my cell phone.” She grabbed the doorknob, about to open the door but she hesitated. She put her ear back against the door to listen for any noises other than her cell phone. “I wonder who’s calling me?” Her phone then went silent as the Voice Mail started.

Ashley grumbled since Katia didn’t come out but she also knew how curious Katia was about some things. She quickly went to her text messages after hanging up on the Voice Mail. She typed in a message to Katia’s phone and sent it.

Katia growled when she heard her text message ringer go off next.

Ashley snickered and went back to her phone book. She dialled Katia’s number again and she listened to the Turkish March song again on the kitchen counter.

“That’s it!” hissed Katia. She flung open the door and growled, “Who the Hell is calling me?” She rushed to the counter and grabbed her phone. She looked at the name on the caller id. “Ashley? She already misses me.”

Ashley bit her lower lip as she hit the end button and silently slid her cell phone into her back pocket.

“Yeah now you hang up huh?” Katia grumbled and muttered, “Wait… the text message.” She quickly went into her inbox and saw the text message was from Ashley. “She’s can’t live without me, I knew it.”

Ashley closed her eyes and held her breath as she listened to Katia read the message aloud.

Katia furrowed her eyebrows as she read the text message. “I’ve got you now,” whispered Katia then she looked up in fear when a large, dark figure jumped in front of her. She screamed at the top of her lungs when the person grabbed her and picked her up off the floor. “Oh my god!” She screamed and almost dropped her cell phone when she was hefted up over the person’s head.

“Lock me out of my own room, will yah?” growled Ashley.

“Ashley!” screamed Katia. All the blood was rushing to her head as she remained in midair over top of the state trooper. “Put me down!”

“I don’t think so.” The officer laughed evilly as she walked down the hallway towards the bedroom. “You think you’re funny, don’t cha?”

“Ashley!” screamed Katia. “Oh my god, Ashley!”

Ashley laughed at Katia’s screaming as she ducked into the bedroom. “You want my bed huh?” She came to the foot of the bed and hefted her friend.

“Ashley! Put me down!”

“At your service.” Ashley brought Katia down a ways then suddenly tossed her at the bed.

Katia slammed into the bed on her back and bounced up some as well. As soon as she sat up, she was met with a set of wild blue eyes. “Ashley,” she whispered, “stay back.” Yet she shivered when Ashley’s eyes darkened at her and a very cat like grin creased Ashley’s lips. She screamed and quickly squirmed up to the top of the bed.

Ashley growled and grabbed her friend’s legs and pulled her back. “Come ‘ere.” Her hands slid up and went to Katia’s side.

Katia suddenly started laughing and screaming all together as she thrashed around. “Oh god, no!” She tried to grab Ashley’s quick hands as she was tickled to death. She then rolled to her left and went off the edge of the bed. Her upper back hit the floor and her mid back pressed against the side of the bed while her legs stayed on the bed. She dropped her head back some and continued to laugh incredibly hard.

Ashley shook her head and crawled onto the bed some. She looked over the edge down at her best friend. “Give up?”

“Yesss.” Katia covered her aching stomach with her arms. “Oh… god.” She finally stopped laughing and reached up to wipe her tears from the corners of her eyes. She then focused her eyes on the state trooper. “I can’t believe you did that.”

Ashley grinned as she folded her arms in front of her body while she rested on her stomach. “I can’t believe you snapped that towel at me… and used my cushion for a shield.”

Katia smirked and crossed her arms over her chest. “I know.”

The state trooper’s grin slowly eased into a warm smile. She lowered her head down until her chin rested on the edge of the bed. She continued to stare down at her best friend.

Katia smiled back at Ashley and just rested there admiring the beauty of Ashley’s cool blue eyes. “Hmmmm.”

“What?” whispered the older woman.

“You have nice eyes,” sincerely uttered Katia.

A crooked grin appeared on Ashley’s face. “I wish they were as nice as yours.”

“Yeah, yours are nicer, I agree.”

Ashley growled and narrowed her eyes.

“Wooooo… I was just kidding, tiger,” Katia had her hands up but she lowered them when she saw Ashley smirk at her.

Ashley shook her head but she had an amused expression. “Where you get this tiger thing anyway?”

Katia chuckled as she drummed her fingers on her stomach for a second. “Come on, Ash. You’re always wild and you growl all the time.”

Ashley laughed at her friend.

“I’m serious. You go after those people that are speeding like they’re your prey.”

Again Ashley laughed and actually started to consider Katia’s idea.

“Then giving them that ticket is like… the kill.” Katia enjoyed how her friend was laughing at her joke. “Chasing down the highway for them at a hundred is like the hunt. You get such a rush out of it.” She grinned at Ashley. “Don’t you?”

“I won’t deny it,” replied the state trooper.

“Uh huh.” Katia happily smiled as she enjoyed her best friend’s calm features. She then took in a deep breath.

“Which yah thinkin’ about?” quietly asked the older woman.

The smaller woman smiled a bit but then she went a little serious. “Just about what you did for me… done for me.”

Ashley had a curious expression.

“First, you saved my life,” started Katia, “took care of me and brought me back to college.” She sighed as her eyes shifted her legs and she crossed her left leg over her right. “You moved here for me. Lied in court and paid my court fees.”

“And gave you a citation,” joked the state trooper.

Katia, for the first time, softly laughed about the entire ordeal. “Yeah you did… and I really held it against you like you’re a bad friend.” She lifted her eyes to Ashley. “Sorry.”

“Its okay,” whispered Ashley. “I still feel guilty for doing it.” A frown grew on her face. “Still pretty mad at myself.”

Katia was now frowning at her friend’s words. “Don’t, Ash. You had a job to do even if you didn’t want to.”

“Bad excuse,” muttered Ashley, her gaze was drifting away like her thoughts.

Katia quickly pulled her legs down and got up onto her feet. She sat down on the bed next to her best friend. “Ashley, it’s okay now… seriously.” She gently brushed some of Ashley’s midnight hair back.

Ashley didn’t look at her friend as she stared across the dark room. “I know,” she finally whispered. “It just kinda sucks being a cop and having to give tickets to your friends.” She reached forward and started playing with the bed sheet. “It really puts me in a shitty position. That’s why I don’t keep many friends… its just easier that way.”

“And there’s pros and cons to everything,” reminded Katia. “You obviously get paid well by the state and the government. And I know what kinda benefits the government gives you for being in the service.”

“Yeah,” quietly agreed Ashley.

Katia reached over and started to rhythmically rub her friend’s back. “It's all in how you look at it,” she whispered.

Ashley turned her head some and peered up at her younger friend. Slowly she started to smile.

Katia had a smile as well and she lowered her head closer to Ashley’s. “And thank you for what you did at the courthouse on Friday. You really shouldn’t have lied.”

“It was a white lie,” protested Ashley. “And don’t even bother to ask to pay me back.”

“Damn,” grumbled Katia. “How’d you know I was about to ask?”

“You had that look,” teased Ashley. She turned her head away and closed her eyes. “Don’t even bother trying.”

The college student shook her head. She continued to rub Ashley’s back. “What about those dishes?”

“Mmmm.” Ashley opened her eyes and stared out the door at the sofa cushion sitting on the floor. “So….”

“So?” urged Katia.

“So you don’t mind your best friend being gay huh?”

Katia chuckled at the question but she knew her friend really was worried. “No, Ashley. You can be as gay or straight as you want for all I care.”

Ashley chuckled and said, “It’s not a choice… it’s a lifestyle.”

The younger woman opened her mouth some but slowly closed it. Her eyebrows began to furrow together. “What you mean?”

The state trooper grinned a little but she lost it as she rolled onto her back so she could look directly at her friend. “Katia, I didn’t just wake up one day and decided to like women.” She sighed at her friend’s still confused look. “It’s something I am and over time I began to realize and understand. Its not something you pick and choose or it strikes you out of the blue like an epiphany.”

“Did… did you ever date any guys?”

“Yeah sure,” replied Ashley. “Plenty in my time. That’s actually how I decided on my rule about not dating my work.” She shifted her hands and put them under her head. “I dated a guy when I first started at the barracks… let’s just say it wasn’t the best idea.”

Katia chuckled at that. “Yeah, that does make sense.” She tilted her head to one side. “How many guys have you dated versus women?”

“Mmmm.” Ashley closed her eyes and began to mentally tally up the numbers. “I think… ten guys and about six women.” She opened her eyes again. “Excluding Laurel.”

Katia nodded as she still thought more about Ashley. “Is it really that different?”

“A female versus a male?”

Katia just nodded.

“Yes it can be,” honestly replied Ashley. “But dating is different experience every time no matter if they’re male or female.”

“Isn’t that the truth?” joked Katia. She grinned some but it slowly slipped. “Its gotta be so different in….” Katia started to blush and she muttered, “a physical sense.”

Ashley softly laughed at her friend’s hesitation. “It sure is.” She suddenly shot up while saying, “The sex is so much better.”

Katia’s eyes widened and she looked over at Ashley. “With women?”

“Oooooh yeah,” teased Ashley. She smirked and walked towards the open door.

“For real?” called Katia.

Ashley laughed while she picked up the cushion. “It's exquisite.” She winked and strolled down the hallway.

Katia sat there with her mouth wide open and a shocked expression on her face. “I can’t believe she said that,” she muttered then she hopped off the bed but not without grabbing her cell phone off the floor where she’d dropped it earlier. When she came into the kitchen, she already found Ashley doing the dishes. “Yah know, I knew you didn’t go to the DQ without me.”

Ashley looked over and flashed a grin. “There’d be more than Hell to pay with you if I had.”

Katia laughed and came over to her friend’s side. She grabbed the dry towel off the counter and went to the other side of Ashley. She started drying and putting away the dishes. For a few minutes, she and Ashley were quiet but then she started a conversation again. “Mmmmm, I’m dating somebody.”

Ashley faltered when she handed the clean glass to her friend.

Katia caught the hesitation and she looked up at the taller woman. “You carded him at the party.” She carefully took the dripping wet glass from her friend’s right hand.

“Five foot ten inches, blue eyes, muscular with a crew cut… Bobby Fluehr,” Ashley quickly reported in a very serious tone.

Katia closed the cupboard door slowly. She was amazed at how sharp Ashley's memory could be at times. “Yeah… that’s him.” She came back over and took the clean plate next. “He’s in my bay class. Sara knew him and introduced him to me.”

“How is it?” quietly asked the state trooper.

The younger woman shrugged and replied, “Not bad. He’s nice and all.” She swallowed as her memory recalled the afternoon Bobby called Ashley a pig. She ignored the memory as she took the next plate from Ashley. “I’m just kinda nervous though.”

“Why?” Ashley glanced over in concern.

“Just….” Katia shrugged as she was putting the dry plate away. “I’m always nervous when I’m dating. I don’t know why… but I always get like that.” She shook her head. She took the silver wear from Ashley’s hand next. “I guess I’m paranoid when they start asking for sex,” she half joked.

“Has he done that yet?”

“Not… verbally, no.” Katia put the silver wear away and came back over to get the clean pot. “But you know how guys start to get… well pushy physically. Not that he really has but… you know how guys get like that…?”

“Yeah a lot of them do,” agreed Ashley. “Don’t let him do that, K.”

“Yeah I know but… sometimes I just feel guilty if he thinks I’m rejecting him.”

Ashley shook her head as she held up the now clean wooden spoon. “There’s a difference between rejecting and being ready.”

Katia sighed as she stretched her hand out and took the spoon. “Yeah I know. Its really not that bad at all so I think it’ll be fine.”

Ashley looked over with a questioning look.

“What?” protested Katia. She grabbed the cooking pan from her friend’s hand. “It's fine.”

“Katia, you have a tendency to brush certain things under the rug like they’re nothing.”

Katia sighed as she tried reach up to the rack where Ashley hung all her pots and pans. She couldn’t quite reach it. “I can handle stuff.”

Ashley watched amused for a second then she came up behind her friend. She reached up and grabbed the pot from her friend’s hand then hooked it easily on the hanging rack.

Katia grumbled as she lowered back down onto her feet.

The state trooper lowered her hand onto Katia’s shoulder and brought her other one up to Katia’s other shoulder. She began to massage her younger woman’s shoulders. “I worry about you, Katia… that’s why I moved here.”

The smaller woman sighed and she leaned back into Ashley’s larger body. “I know,” she uttered. She dropped her head against Ashley’s chest and closed her eyes. “He’s a guy… what you expect?” She chuckled and quietly added, “I’ll talk to him if it starts.”

“You better… or I will,” stated the officer. “And I’m not kidding.”

“I know… that’s the scary part,” joked the younger woman.

Ashley let out a heavy sigh. “Things are good otherwise?”

“Oh yeah,” happily replied Katia. “He’s cute and hot… he’s pretty fun and has a good disposition.”

“Good… good.” Ashley gently squeezed the small shoulders and whispered, “As long as you’re happy.”

“Mmmm… if you stay here, I’ll be happy.” Katia turned around and smiled at the older woman. “I like having my own trooper.”

Ashley laughed and turned to leave the kitchen. “Come on.”

Katia went to the oven and hung the towel up. She went into the living room to join Ashley on the couch. “Sorry… left the tv on.”

“No big deal.” Ashley grabbed the remote and decided this time she’d do the channel flipping instead of Katia. “You need to leave soon though.”

Katia started taking her shoes off again so she could curl up on the sofa. “Nah… I’ll stay here.”

“Let’s not give Erin anymore problems now.”

“Ha!” Katia took her last shoe off and started to lie down. “She’s probably happy I’m not there… probably making out with Sara or somethin’.”

Ashley laughed as she scooted down the sofa to give her friend more room. “Those two together now?”

“No but they mind as well be.” Katia sighed as she rested her head against her friend’s thigh. “Oh stop there. That’s the Discovery Channel.”

The state trooper shrugged and bent forward to put the remote back down. She noticed just how comfortable Katia was getting on the sofa. “You’re not staying here tonight.”

“Hmmmm.” Katia grinned as she snuggled more into the sofa.

“You’re not,” stated the older woman.

“Okay.” Katia reached up and patted her friend’s leg. “I’m not.”

Ashley groaned and rolled her eyes. “What’s the use?” she muttered and went quiet so she could watch the television. It was only around nine o’clock but the entire week seemed to catch up to her and she started to nod off. It was a little before midnight that she woke up from a gun shot and when she opened her eyes, she saw it was an FBI Files episode on television. She rubbed her face with her right hand and peered down at Katia.

Katia was curled up, her head no longer on the sofa but against Ashley’s thigh, and her eyes closed. She grinned as she realized Katia had her left hand up and clutching Ashley’s pant leg like it was some kind of stuffed animal.

Ashley just studied her friend as she smiled. She reached down and gently brushed back Katia’s bangs. She then leaned forward to get the remote and she turned to the tv off.

Katia stirred some from the silence now. She lifted her head and her grip tightened on Ashley’s leg. “Ash?”

“Hey.” The state trooper leaned back and rested her hand on her friend’s side.

“I’m not… driving back.”

“I know… nor is it safe.” Ashley smiled when Katia lowered her head back down on her leg. “Where you want to sleep?”

“Mmmm.” Katia closed her eyes but murmured out, “with you.”

“Not on the couch?” teased Ashley.

“It's comfortable but not… not safe,” mumbled Katia in a sleepy voice.

Ashley’s eyebrows creased together after Katia’s said that. “Not safe?”

“Mmmm,” agreed Katia. “Safe with you.”

“Alright.” The officer was about to stand up but stopped. “Move your head, K.”

“Mmmm.” The young woman lifted her head a bit and removed her hand. She sensed all this empty space where Ashley had been sitting.

Ashley pushed aside Katia’s shoes with her right foot. She then stepped over and bent forward to slip her arms under Katia. Very carefully, she straightened up with Katia in her arms. “You know, I think its you that likes me carrying you.” The only type of response she received was a grin from Katia. “Uh huh, thought so.” Ashley headed for the bedroom. “You sure about sleeping in bed with me?”

“Uh huh,” muttered the younger woman. She had her face buried in Ashley’s neck. “Safer.”

“Why?” quietly asked the trooper.

“Mmmm… cause you… care about me.” Katia soon felt a cool bed underneath her and flannel sheets being pulled over her.

“Always,” promised Ashley. “Go to sleep.” She kissed her friend’s temple then straightened up. She went around the bed and to her dresser. She took off her shoes then gathered her pyjamas from one of the drawers. She then disappeared into the bathroom.

Katia remained partially awake until the bed dipped some and she knew Ashley was in it with her. She smiled and muttered, “Goodnight.”

“Night, K.” Ashley finished setting the alarm for six am since she wasn’t sure what time Katia had to get to class. She knew it had to be no earlier than nine or nine-thirty. After she put the alarm back on the nightstand, she closed her eyes and fell back to sleep.

**To be continued.**


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Sara slid her hand a little further up Erin’s shirt. She continued gently kissing Erin while she lay on top of her.

Erin softly moaned but she sucked in a breath when the tips of Sara’s fingers grazed under her bra.

Sara lifted her head with a grin. “It's just called making out, Erin… not sex.”

Erin rolled her eyes and was so tempted to swat Sara with the pillow under her head. “Don’t talk,” she ordered and reached up to pull Sara’s head back down.

“Yes, my qu-” Sara’s smartass remark was cut short when Erin hungrily took her lips. She enjoyed this position on top of Erin since she could freely run her hand over Erin’s soft stomach. But then her concentration on touching Erin’s stomach was broken when Erin forced her tongue into her mouth. She softly moaned and she let Erin take the control.

Then suddenly the bedroom door unlocked and flew open.

“Oh shit!” yelled Sara. She jumped off Erin and out of the bed and spun around.

Katia stood there with her eyes wide, eyebrows up, and looking between her roommate and Sara. “Do you two need some… alone time?” She started to grin when Sara was burning bright red.

Erin though was beginning to laugh between Katia’s expression and Sara’s reaction. “Oh god,” she whimpered between her hysterical laughter.

Katia just remained where she was as she tried to process what she just witnessed.

Sara however was sitting down on the floor because her knees were too weak to hold her up.

Erin finally calmed down and looked at her roommate. “I’m sorry, Katia.”

Katia nodded and gave her roommate a sceptic look. She carefully stepped into the room and went to her desk.

“I thought you had class for another twenty minutes.”

“I did,” agreed Katia as she put her book bag on her desk chair. “I got out early.”

“Great,” muttered Sara.

Katia grinned down at her friend. She sat on her bed and looked between the pair. “So… uh….”

Erin grinned and looked down at Sara. She patted Sara’s shoulder and said, “You can tell her.”

“Thanks,” deadpanned Sara. She lifted her brown eyes up to Katia. “We’re together,” she simply stated.

“I think… I could tell for some odd reason,” teased Katia.

Sara groaned and dropped her head against the sideboard of Erin’s bed.

Erin was still grinning but because of Sara. She went a little serious as she looked at her roommate. “We’re really sorry, Katia. We thought you wouldn’t be here for another twenty minutes.”

“Me too,” muttered Katia and she chuckled. “Just don’t do anything on my bed,” she joked.

“See!” Sara looked up at Erin. “I told you we shouldn’t have done that on Katia’s bed.”

“What?” hotly whispered Katia. “You two can change these bed sheets.”

“She’s joking,” reassured Erin. “Trust me.”

Slowly a crooked grin creased Katia’s lips. “I know.” She then leaned forward and asked, “So how long?”

Erin looked down at Sara.

Sara peered up at Erin.

Erin then looked over at her roommate again. “Two days.”

“Aaaawe.” Katia giggled at the new couple. “This is so exciting.”

“I won’t argue with that,” joked Sara.

Erin reached down and ruffled Sara’s brown hair to distract her. “Yeah it ain’t bad.” She mischiefly grinned at Katia.

“Not bad?” protested Sara after she finished fixing her hair. “I’m the best lesbian to date.”

“Hmph.” Katia had a silly grin after Sara said that aloud.

“What’s that look about?” probed Erin.

“Wellllll….” Katia licked her lips and she knew she couldn’t hold it back. “I found out something about Ashley last night.”

Sara snickered and asked, “She is, isn’t she?”

“Uh huh,” replied Katia although she was grinning, she sadly sighed. “I’m glad she told me.”

“Why?” teased Sara. “You wanna ask her out?”

“I’m with Bobby,” reminded Katia.

“There’s nothing wrong with being bi,” joked Sara.

“Sara,” growled Katia. “Leave it alone.” She sighed and quietly added, “Besides, she’s dating somebody.”

“Really?” Sara had a surprised look. “I’d never guessed.”

Erin saw the strange look on Katia’s face and she couldn’t quite analyse it just yet. She knew though it wasn’t happy thoughts running through Katia's mind. She sighed and decided to change the topic. “Hey Katia, you busy tonight?”

“No, I don’t have much homework tonight.” Katia leaned back in her bed with her hands behind her. Her body came to a stop when her hands hit the bed. “Why?”

“Sara and I were thinking about going out tonight. Wanted to see if you wanted to go.”

“We already asked Mikie and he’s busy with homework tonight,” mentioned Sara.

“Yeah sure. I’ll ask Bobby too.”

Erin cringed and enough for her roommate to take notice.

“What’s that about?” asked the annoyed Katia.

Erin was about to hastily reply but Sara saved her.

“We’re just not comfortable with Bobby yet, Katia.” Sara gave her friend a nervous look. “We’re not sure how he’d react with us being together.”

Katia soon realized what Sara was saying and she sighed.

“Its going to be a date… of sorts,” spoke up Erin.

“What about Ashley?” suggested Sara. She brightened up at the idea as she thought more about it. “She’s not going to have a problem with it.”

Erin chuckled and said, “That’s for sure.”

Katia slowly started to grin but then she lost it. “She might be working tonight though. She worked Tuesday night.”

“That was last night,” protest Sara, “this is tonight.”

“Let me text her and see.” Katia jumped out of the bed and went to her backpack.

Erin and Sara grinned at one another.

Katia pulled her cell phone from her pack and started typing a message as she slowly went back to her bed. After she sent it, she looked up at her friends. “What we going to do?”

“Dinner and a movie?” questioned Erin to Sara.

Sara nodded her head. “Sounds good.”

Erin peered up at her roommate for approval.

“Yeah definitely,” agreed Katia. After she said that, her cell phone beeped and blinked colours to alert her of a new message. Katia flipped the phone open and sat down on the bed as she read the message. Slowly a smile appeared on her face as she started to type a reply to Ashley. “She works from six this morning to two this afternoon.”

Sara looked at her watched and noted it was one-thirty now. “Cool. She gets off in half an hour.”

“Uh huh.” Katia’s voice was unfocused because she was busy typing another message to Ashley.

“She’s so cute,” whispered Sara.

“What?” asked Katia after she sent the message.

“She said this’ll be a hoot,” replied Erin. “Just the girls going out.”

Katia raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah, it’s a double date,” piped in Sara, a huge smirk on her face.

“A… double date?” repeated Katia in a nervous voice.

“Yeah, Erin and I then you and Ashley,” explained Sara.

Katia blinked and stared at Sara. She was going on a double date and Ashley was her date.

***

“Wait, wait,” protested Bobby. “Why am I not invited?”

Katia sighed as she put the set of silver hoop earrings on and used her mirror in her closest. “Because it’s a girls’ night out,” she explained.

“What the Hell is that?” complained Bobby. He put his hands on his hips as he stood in front of the bedroom door. “What’s wrong with me going?”

Katia sighed as she came over to her boyfriend. “Because you’re a male so that doesn’t qualify.” She reached up and wrapped her arms around Bobby’s neck. “It’s the same as you going out with a bunch of your boys.”

Bobby an annoyed look but he couldn’t help the grin when Katia started to grin at him.

“You don’t need me,” whispered Katia.

“Mmmm.” Bobby lowered his head closer to Katia’s. “I want a night out… with you.”

“Okay,” whispered Katia in soothing voice. “How about Friday?”

“Mmmm.” Bobby started to smile at the prospect of a date with his girlfriend. “A nice dinner.” He shifted his hands to rest on Katia’s hips. “Then maybe….” He lowered his head more and brought his lips closer to Katia’s. “Some alone time.” He then kissed Katia.

Katia went with the kiss but let Bobby remain in control. She gave a soft moan when he pulled off and she whispered, “Maybe.” She winked then moved out of his arms.

Bobby sighed with a bit of annoyance. He studied his girlfriend dressed nicely in a pair of dark blue jeans that flared at the bottom where he could make out her black dress boots. His eyes raised up and he enjoyed how the orangish-red button up type tightly fit Katia’s body making her cleavage quite noticeable when she bent forward to put on a leather belt. “Sssso… who all is going?”

Katia peered up as she started to buckle her belt into place. She wasn’t ready to answer that question and she still didn’t want to yet, but she did anyway. “Me, Sara, Erin and Ashley.” She walked away to her desk and waited for his reaction.

“Ashley huh?” muttered Bobby. He crossed his arms over his chest. “That cop friend of yours?”

“Yup, that’s her,” quietly replied Katia. She was busy putting her cell phone into her maroon corduroy purse.

“You two are talking again?” inquired young man.

Katia turned around then answered his question. “Yeah… we got things straightened out.”

“Huh.” Bobby chewed on the side of his mouth then said, “I want to meet her. I didn’t really get to at the party since she was so busy carding me.”

Katia picked up on the hint of irritation in her boyfriend’s voice. “We can do that,” she assured. “Friday night before dinner we can stop at her place. I’ll introduce you to her.”

“You’ve been to her place?” asked Bobby, his expression was surprise.

“Yeah sure,” replied Katia. She was back in her closest and pulling out a grey wool jacket to keep her warm tonight.

“Hmmm… didn’t realize that.” Bobby watched his girlfriend slip on the wool jacket that had a half collar and zipped up on the front. “You look nice, Katia.”

Katia warmly smiled and neared her boyfriend again. “Thanks, baby.” She grasped his arms but her eyes flickered over to the clock on Erin’s desk. “And I have to get moving. It’s already six.”

“Yeah I know,” whispered Bobby with a bit of disappointment.

“Mmmm… sorry.” Katia stood up on her tiptoes and Bobby met her the rest of the way to share in a tender kiss. When she pulled back and promised, “Friday night.”

“Better,” lightly teased Bobby. “Come on.” He took Katia’s hand and led her out the door.

Katia quickly flicked the overhead light off and locked the door. She slammed it and walked down the hallway, hand in hand with Bobby. When she and Bobby got outside, they were greeted by Sara and Erin.

“Hey.” Erin smiled as she came up the steps of the dorm. “You ready?”

“Yeah. How about you two?”

“Definitely,” replied Sara. “We just need to pick up Ashley.”

“Yeah I told her we’d be there no later than six-thirty.” Katia then turned to Bobby. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Bobby smiled at Katia. “Alright. Enjoy your night.” He leaned down and gave Katia one last kiss.

Sara rolled her eyes and looked at Erin.

Erin jabbed her girlfriend and gave her a stern look.

Sara quietly sighed and smiled suddenly when Katia and Bobby separated. “Are we ready?”

“Let’s go,” replied Katia. She and Bobby went down the steps with Sara and Erin.

“See yah, Katia,” called Bobby, he was already headed to his dorm.

“Night, Bobby.” Katia smiled and watched him leave.

Erin let it go for a second then she moved to grab Katia’s hand. “Let’s go, girl. We got dates here.”

Katia giggled and let her roommate pull her along.

“Hey now, she’s my girlfriend,” reminded Sara.

Erin grumbled and reached back to grab Sara’s hand too. She dragged both of them along. “I’m hungry so let’s go, let’s go.”

The two girls laughed and hurried it up.

As soon as they made it into the parking lot, Katia’s cell phone went off.

“If it isn’t Ashley then don’t answer it,” warned Erin.

Katia was pulling out her cell phone and she saw it was Haley calling her. “Its Ashley.” She smirked and answered the phone. “Hey, Hale.”

“That’s not Ashley,” roared Erin.

“Let her be.” Sara chuckled at her girlfriend and pushed her down between Katia’s car and somebody else’s. “Just get in.” She then went around to the other side after Katia went between the cars first. She started to listen to her conversation with Haley.

“Yeah, we’ll catch up, Haley. Yeah I know I promised so we’ll catch up.” Katia pulled out her car keys and unlocked her car. She watched as her friends got into the back seats but she didn’t get into the car yet. “Yes, I know, I know Haley.” She opened her driver’s door and sat in the car. “Oh I’m headed off on a double date.” She laughed and replied, “Sara, Erin, and Ashley.”

Erin glanced over at Sara and gave an annoyed look.

Sara giggled as she buckled her seatbelt.

“No! Sara is not my date.” Katia started to blush some and she was happy her friends were in the back. “Yes, she’s my date.”

“Yes and we need to go pick her up!” yelled Erin.

Katia laughed and said, “Yeah that was Erin and she’s hungry.” She grinned while she put her key into the ignition. “Okay, I’ll talk to you later. I’ll give you a call… maybe tomorrow or Friday we can catch up. Alright, Hale. I’ll see you then.” She closed up her cell phone and put it back in her purse.

“What was that about?” inquired Sara.

Katia was busy buckling her seat belt as she answered Sara’s question. “Haley wants a lunch date. She says she needs to talk to me.”

“Oh boy, Aphrodite wants to talk to Miss Straight Girl,” teased Sara.

“Can we please drive and talk at the same time?” growled Erin. “I am getting hungry here.”

Sara looked over with a huge smirk. “You could always eat m-”

“Don’t,” warned Erin, she was pointing a finger at her girlfriend. “We have straight girl in the car with us. Remember?”

“Hey,” cut in Katia. “I know what goes on between two lesbians during sex.” She had her car started and was backing out of the parking spot.

“You do, do you?” asked the surprised roommate. “Do tell.” She happily grinned when Katia started to blush from top to bottom. “Sara and I could use the education, Doctor Ruth.”

“Whatever,” grumbled Katia. She tried to ignore the pair as she drove down the road towards Route 13. “Hey Sara?”

“Yeah?”

“Can you message Ashley and let her know we’re on the way?” asked Katia.

“Yeah sure.” Sara leaned to her left and pulled out her cell phone from her right back pocket. She flipped open the Motorola and started putting in a message to Ashley. It was a rather lengthy one as well.

***

Ashley suddenly jumped when she heard her cell phone beep on her dresser. She walked out of her bathroom and opened her cell phone. She snickered at Sara’s message and sent one back. After she was finished, she went into the bathroom and finished brushing her hair after just blow drying it. She then took a minute to put her earrings on and then spray on her favourite perfume.

She rushed out of the bathroom and flicked the switch off. She went to her dresser and slipped on her black low cut boots and tied them on easily. She then grabbed her wallet, keys, and cell phone from the dresser. Next she went to her closest and pulled out her leather jacket. Ashley left her bedroom after turning the lights off.

Within a minute, she had her lights off in the living room and had on the outside light. She locked up the front door and went outside into the brisk night. She decided while she had a few minutes she’d go to her car. She went to the last garage door and flipped the keypad cover. After she punched in the correct code, the door rolled up for her and the motion light kicked on for her.

Ashley pointed her smartkey at the car and unlocked it.

The Mercedes flashed its light and the inside dome lights lit.

The officer opened the driver’s door and sat down but her long legs hung outside of the car. First she slipped on her leather jacket to keep her warm then she grabbed the notepad and pen sitting in the nook of her dash. Ashley flipped to a blank page then her eyes slowly closed.

Ashley’s mind quickly raced through various mental images then it came to a stop on one particular one. Suddenly her eyes flew open and she began writing down something on the notepad. After the had it written down, she studied what she wrote.

### Bobby Fluehr

_795 Wildflower Drive_

_Huntingtown, Maryland 20639_

_Calvert County_

_License # F-500-443-332-556_

_DOB: October 10, 1982_

_Physical Description: 5 foot, 10 inches, blue eyes, blond hair, crew cut, 150+ lbs._

Ashley looked up from her notepad when she heard a car coming and headlights lit up her driveway. She knew it was Katia and her friends. She quickly flipped the cover over the top of her notepad and put it away with the pen.

Katia turned her headlights off but left her fog lights and parking lights on as she started to get out of the car. “Be right back.”

“Okay,” called Erin.

Katia smiled when she saw Ashley in the garage in her Mercedes. “Told you, I’d pick yah up.”

Ashley grinned and got out of her car and shut the door. “And I was waiting.” She locked it with her smartkey. “I hear I’m your date.” She gave an evil grin to emphasis the date part.

Katia became a little embarrassed as her eyes dropped. “Yeah… how’d you know?”

“Sara,” simply explained the older woman. “You didn’t tell Bobby?” she teased.

Katia laughed and shook her head. “No way.” She then grinned when she finally looked up. “Its just between you and me.”

“And those two.” Ashley indicated the car with her eyes where Erin and Sara waited.

“Yeah… somehow I think they set this up.” Katia looked over her shoulder and almost glared at her friends in the car.

“Maybe,” teased Ashley. She then took a step back when Katia wasn’t looking. She admired what her friend was wearing and stepped back.

Katia heard the movement and looked at Ashley again.

“You look beautiful tonight, Katia,” whispered the state trooper. She couldn’t help but grin when Katia blushed at her compliment.

“Come on.” Ashley grasped her friend’s shoulders and led her out of the garage. She then stopped at the keypad on the side of the doorway and repunched the number. The garage door quickly came down and she moved out of the way with Katia.

Katia started making her way to the car and she’d put a little distance between her and Ashley. However she glanced over and took notice of what Ashley was wearing. “Uh… Ash?” She stopped in front of her car.

Ashley was on the passenger side but stopped and came back over.

Katia watched Ashley come to her and she admired what her older friend wore. Ashley had on a pair of tight black slacks with a silver square linked belt. The black leather jacket was button up but Ashley had left it open to reveal her silk red button up top. Even the silk shirt had three buttons left undone to reveal Ashley’s cleavage and a plain but bright silver necklace.

Ashley came to a stop midway in front of the Mercedes when Katia came up to her. “Yes?” she grinned and raised an eyebrow.

Katia reached up and grasped the either collar on the leather jacket. She pretend to straighten them out when they didn’t need to be. She then picked up on the gentle musky scent surrounding Ashley and she absolutely became entranced.

Ashley felt her knees go slightly weak when very rich green eyes lifted up to her. She slowly smiled.

Katia mirrored the smile but hers slowly went more devilish. She put her right hand under Ashley’s chin and brought Ashley’s head down closer to hers. “I might look beautiful,” she whispered, “but you look incredibly sexy.”

Ashley just stared as Katia’s words processed in her head.

Katia’s grin grew larger as a blush as red as Ashley’ shirt began to develop on Ashley’s face. She freed both of her hands and took a step back. “You got shotgun.” She walked to the driver’s door but her eyes never left Ashley. She was enjoying that blush way too much to let it just pass by her.

“Yeah,” Ashley muttered and her shaky legs were able to carry her to the passenger’s side. She heard Katia get into the car and she grabbed the door handle.

“Hey, Ashley,” greeted Sara. “How’s it going?” She noticed Ashley was quiet but buckling her seatbelt. “You alright there?”

Katia couldn’t help her grin as she turned on her headlights again. “Just give her a minute,” she ordered.

“What’s she need a minute for?” protested Sara.

Ashley finally started to recover herself and she looked back at Sara. She gave a half grin. “I’m good. You?”

“I’m good too.”

Ashley’s eyes flickered over to Erin. “How you doing?”

“Wonderful,” replied a grinning Erin. “You hungry?”

“Yeah, I think I am.” Ashley chuckled and sat back in her seat. She noticed Katia had them already travelling down towards Route 50. “What movie are we seeing?”

“How about Scary Movie Three?” joked Sara.

“No!” protested Katia. “Those movies are so dumb.”

“Yeah they are,” agreed Erin.

“They’re funny,” protested Sara with a huff.

Ashley shook her head and said, “They’re a rent movie.”

“Yeah I can handle renting them,” agreed Katia.

“I heard they’re suppose to make fun of Lord of the Rings,” spoke up Sara.

“That’s nice,” teased Katia.

Sara huffed and folded her arms over her chest. “So what else is there worth watching?”

“Mmmm how about The Texas Chainsaw Massacre?” suggested Erin.

Suddenly there was a huge groan from the front passenger seat. “No police, detective movies.”

Everybody in the car whined at the same time.

“No, I watch enough of the FBI Files and Forensic things when Katia is around.” Ashley was shaking her head.

Erin and Sara both snickered as Katia protested with a whatever.

“Then what you suggest, Ash? The Singing Detective or the Runaway Jury?”

Ashley groaned and rolled her eyes. “How about…Brother Bear?” she joked with a mischief grin taking over her expression.

“Oh no way! I’m not watchin’ a child’s movie,” protested Sara.

Katia glanced over and saw Ashley had an amused expression. “You’re such a smartass.”

Ashley looked over and winked.

Katia shook her head as she continued to drive down Route 50.

“How about that new movie with Angelina Jolie?” spoke up Erin. “What’s it called?”

“Oooh you mean Beyond Borders?”

“That’s a romance, drama movie.” Katia looked in her rear view mirror at her two friends then concentrated on the highway again.

“Jolie is hot,” announced Sara rather loudly.

“She’s what?” Erin glared over at her girlfriend.

“She’d be hotter though if she had dirty-blond hair that’s curly,” quickly quipped Sara. She gave a shy grin to her girlfriend but reached over and took her hand.

Erin met her halfway and laced their hands together in between the two seats.

“She was good in Tomb Raider,” mentioned Ashley.

“Yeah I like her in those movies,” agreed Sara.

“I think the first one was better than the second one.” Ashley shrugged after saying that.

“Yeah,” started Erin, “the second one was just like the first one.”

“New boyfriend and new treasure, same plot,” joked Katia.

“You saw it?” Ashley looked over at her best friend.

Katia nodded her head. “I like Jolie a lot.”

“She’s pretty hot,” stated Ashley.

“Amen,” agreed Sara from behind and she laughed with Ashley.

“She’s not super, super hot,” cut in Katia. “I mean in that movie… what was it? That one she did with Antonio Banderas?”

“Original Sin,” answered Erin.

“That’s it.” Katia shook her head then said, “She was way too skinny in that movie. I like my woman more muscle than that.”

“Oh yeah?” teased Sara. She reached forward with her free hand and shook Katia’s seat.

Katia laughed and peered up in the rear view mirror. “Yeah and blue eyes.” Her eyes then flickered to Erin’s and Sara’s hands locked together.

“Blue eyes, muscular?” Erin smirked and said, “Who does this sound like?”

“Not Bobby,” joked Sara.

“If I was a lesbian,” quickly added Katia.

Sara laughed and asked, “As I said before, what’s wrong with bi?”

Ashley shook her head and just wanted to sink through her seat. She didn’t not want to be apart of this conversation.

“What you think, Ashley?” Erin grinned.

Ashley had noticed her best friend kept looking in the rear view mirror at something. So she decided to see if it had to do with Sara and Erin. Erin’s question gave her the opportunity to turn in her seat and look back at the pair. “My opinion on what?” She didn’t look directly at their hands together but she definitely saw it.

“On this whole conversation?” urged Erin.

Ashley shrugged and sat back in her seat. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with being curious.”

“Yeah right,” protested Katia, “you say my curiosity gets me into trouble, Ash.”

“Did I say that?” teased Ashley. “Well your curiosity surpasses the legal limit.”

“Gee thanks,” deadpanned Katia and she laughed.

“So wait, are you saying Katia should… you know experiment?” Sara sat forward and grinned at Ashley.

Erin squeezed Sara’s hand in protest for her urging the topic on Ashley.

Ashley sighed and raised an eyebrow at Sara. She could tell Katia was carefully listening to what she was going to say. “You know what? I think experimentation is fine and you better not ask anymore of that from me, Sara.” She narrowed her eyes even though she was grinning. “I know you’ll take what I say to the bank and I’m not about to dig myself a hole.”

“Damn,” muttered Sara. She sat back in her seat but she was still content with what Ashley had said.

“Experiment?” quietly asked Katia. “Its not a science project.”

Everybody in the car laughed at Katia’s remark.

“Actually it kinda is,” mentioned Erin.

“You outta know,” teased Katia. “You fell over the fence.” She evilly grinned. “And look what caught you?”

“Thanks a lot, Katia,” teased Sara. “I’ll remember that if you ever want somebody to experiment with.”

“She’s not experimenting with you.” Erin glared over at her girlfriend.

“Yes ma’am,” muttered Sara.

“Besides if I ever, ever even considered experimenting it would not be with you, Sara,” teased Katia.

Sara laughed and said, “Yeah I’m sure Ashley would be the first to volunteer.”

Ashley almost groaned aloud and again wanted to disappear out of the car.

“Would you?” teased Katia. She took a quick glance at her best friend.

“I don’t teach Lesbianism 101,” protested Ashley.

“Oh come on, this is Experimentation 101,” reminded Erin. “You can do it, Ashley.”

Katia could tell her best friend was getting uncomfortable with the topic. “Maybe its not a case of can but a case of wanting to.” Katia peered up in the mirror at her friend’s.

“You are no fun, Katia.” Sara glowered up at the mirror.

Ashley sighed in relief that her friend backed her up.

“Besides, I think, Ashley can handle this herself,” stated Sara. “Right, Ashley?”

Ashley looked back at Sara and for the first time she gave a very angry look to Sara. Her eyes however were twinkling because she knew what affect her look would have on Sara.

“Aaaalright then.” Sara nervously laughed when Ashley looked away.

“Leave well enough alone,” quietly whispered Erin to Sara.

“How’d this topic get started anyway?” Katia was turning her car down onto North Salisbury Boulevard.

“You were the one talking about your lesbian woman being talk, dark, and blue eyed.”

“Muscular,” corrected Katia with a small chuckle.

“Mussscular.” Sara grinned.

Erin realized they were getting close to the Centre at Salisbury. “Not to change topics but where are we eating?”

“I thought we could go to Ruby Tuesday…?”

“Sounds good to me,” agreed Sara.

“Me too,” second Ashley.

“How about you, Erin?” Katia peered through her mirror.

Erin licked her lips and grinned. “Loaded cheese fries… definitely.”

Everybody laughed together.

“And we’re seeing that movie Beyond Borders?” continued Erin.

“Mmmm can’t refuse Jolie,” stated Ashley.

Katia was so tempted to glare at her best friend for the comment and she didn’t even understand why she felt this way.

“I’m with Ashley on that,” joked Sara. “But I still say she needs to have curly blond hair to be hot and sexy.”

Erin snickered and squeezed her girlfriend’s hand. “How about you, Katia?”

Katia sighed as she removed her right hand from the steering wheel and grasped the gearshift handle. “Yeah I guess so. I love a good romance.”

Ashley picked up on the faint hesitation. She reached over and just gently placed her hand over top of Katia’s. “You sure, K?”

Sara instantly looked over at Erin with wide eyes.

Erin started to grin but knew not to say anything because it’d break the moment.

Katia smiled over at her friend and looked back at the road. “Yeah, I’m sure, Ash. I enjoy romance.”

“Even though romances are so unrealistic?” teased the state trooper.

Katia softly laughed and flashed a grin. “They really happen.”

Ashley studied her friend’s profile then sat back comfortable into her seat. She then pulled her hand away. “I’ll believe it when it happens.”

Sara started to open her mouth to make a smartass comment but suddenly Erin grabbed her and pulled her over. Her open mouth was soon filled with a warm tongue. She moaned in the middle of the kiss.

“Hey, hey that’s my back seat,” protested Katia and she laughed.

Ashley was shaking her head. She started to wonder how she ended up on this date in the first place.

Sara had a dreamy look as she separated from Erin. She did though pick up on Katia’s protest. “We’re just breaking it in,” she teased.

Katia rolled her eyes as she drove into the Ruby Tuesday’s parking lot. “Lesbians… I swear.”

“Hey,” cut in Ashley. “I happen to-”

“You’re special, Ash.” Katia reached over and briefly patted her friend’s leg before she turned her car into a parking space.

Erin was hastily unbuckling her seatbelt. “Last one in pays the bill.” She flung the door open, slammed it just as fast, and went briskly walking to the restaurant.

Sara was just as quick and caught up to Erin.

Ashley and Katia both got out at the same time.

Ashley looked over the top of the small car and grinned at Katia. She gently closed the door when Katia closed hers too.

Katia locked the door and looked up as she pulled her key back out. “They’re not… bothering you?”

“No, no,” reassured Ashley. She had a devilish grin and said, “I like them.” She then turned and headed down to the back of the car.

Katia came around the car as well and stopped beside Ashley. She took a second to put her car key into her purse then she peered up at her best friend. “Hungry?”

“Oh yeah,” whispered Ashley. She then shifted her right arm to slip through Katia’s left arm. “Come on.” She started walking with Katia and she decided to tease Katia by jerking her closer.

Katia giggled as her shoulder bumped into Ashley’s arm. “So Jolie is really hot huh?”

“Hmmmm.” Ashley grinned and debated whether to say her next comment or not. She noted the door ahead so and released Katia’s arm and opened the door. As Katia stepped past her, she whispered, “I’m more partial to blonds though.”

Katia almost stumbled into the lobby of the Ruby Tuesday but Ashley’s firm grasp on her shoulders stopped her.

“Watch your step,” taunted Ashley as she reached up and opened the next set of doors.

The hostess brightly smiled at the pair. “Two?”

“Actually,” cut in Ashley, “we’re with two other young ladies that just came in.”

“Oh right.” The hostess put the menus back down and said, “Follow me, please.”

Ashley again put her hands back on Katia’s shoulders and followed behind Katia.

Katia smiled at feeling Ashley so closer to her. She was lead around a corner and on her right was a line of booths. She went past two then the fourth one ahead had Erin and Sara sitting down in it.

“Here you go.” The hostess held her hand out to the booth. “And your server will be here in a minute.”

“Thank you,” replied Ashley to the hostess. She let Katia get into the booth first then she climbed in beside Katia. “Need your coat off?” she whispered to her friend.

Katia shook her head as she tucked her purse between her and the wall. “I’m fine.”

“I definitely need mine off.” Ashley grinned and got back out of the booth to take hers off. “You two order drinks yet?”

“No, still waiting on the server,” replied Erin. She was busy reading over the menu when she replied to Ashley.

“Here.” Katia reached over and took the jacket from Ashley. She picked up her purse, tucked Ashley’s jacket down, then put her purse back down. She watched Ashley as she got back into the booth with her. Instantly Katia felt her body warm back up. “We doing loaded cheese fries?” She grinned at Erin. She giggled when very hungry amber eyes lifted to her.

“You got that right.” Erin grinned and continued studying the menu.

“What’s up with these loaded cheese fries?” muttered the state trooper.

“Right here.” Katia leaned over and pointed to the item on the menu.

“Erin loves these things,” comment Sara. “Could you tell?”

The police officer laughed after she read the description. “Sounds like salt to me.” She then flipped to the back of the menu knowing the server would arrive soon for their drinks.

“Here,” teased Katia. She handed over the beverage menu from the right side.

“Oh perfect,” muttered the state trooper. She opened to the tropical drinks.

Katia leaned over and pointed to one. “How about that one?”

Ashley laughed and read it aloud, “Blue Lagoon Margarita.”

“Smurf juice,” joked Katia.

“It actually doesn’t look that bad,” commented Ashley.

Sara looked up. “You’re getting a forbidden beverage?” She grinned when blue eyes lifted to her.

“Maybe for you,” teased Ashley.

“I’m gonna have a Samuel Adams myself,” commented Erin.

Sara’s mouth hung open. “I cannot wait for my twenty-first.” She was about to add more but a young man’s voice cut into the conversation.

“Evening, ladies.” The young man warmly smiled at all the girls. “I’ll by your server tonight and I’m Steve. Have you ladies decide what you want to drink?”

“Yeah, can I get a strawberry lemonade,” replied Sara.

“Okay.” Steve wrote down the order. After he brushed back his short light brown hair, he looked to Erin. “You ma’am?”

“Oh I’m a ma’am,” teased Erin.

The server laughed.

“I could use a Samuel Adams on draft.”

Steve nodded then said, “I’d hate to do this but license please.”

“No problem.” Erin was reaching back to get her wallet.

While Steve waited for the license, he looked to Katia.

Katia smiled and said, “Just a Coke works for me.”

“Got it.” Steve looked at Ashley last.

Ashley peered up from the beverage menu and said, “I think I’m gonna try this Blue Lagoon MegaRita.”

The server laughed as he wrote it down.

“And before you ask, I’ll get my license,” added Ashley.

Steve grinned and he noted Erin had hers out. He reached over and studied her picture and birth date. He smiled and handed it back to her. “Thank you.” He then turned to see Ashley had hers out too. “Wow… you’re younger than you look.”

“Thanks,” deadpanned Ashley. She took the license back after he was finished.

“I’ll be right back with your drinks.” Steve strolled off with his drink order.

“Wait, let me see that.” Katia leaned over and peered over at the license.

Ashley grinned as she held it out to Katia.

“Oh you got one of the new ones,” spoke up Katia.

“Does she?” Sara leaned over as Ashley held it out to her. “Oh cool. I like the blue crab up in the corner.”

“Yeah me too,” agreed Erin. “I wish they’d get that in Virginia.”

Ashley put her license away as she continued to debate about something to eat.

Katia, however, knew what she wanted so she closed up her menu. She grinned at Ashley and said, “Let me guess, a burger, right?”

A crooked grin creased Ashley’s lips. “How’d you know?”

“I know you,” replied Katia. She then looked up when Steve returned with their drinks.

Steve quietly put the drinks down in front of each person. He then tucked the tray under his arm and produced his order pad again. “Do you all know what you want?”

Everybody exchanged nods and Erin was the first to go.

“First we’re splitting an order of loaded cheese fries.” After she saw the server nod, she continued with her order. “And I want the Peppercorn Mushroom Sirloin. Medium-well too.”

“Mashed or baked potato?” asked Steve.

“Baked,” replied Erin. She then folded up her menu.

Steve peered down at Sara next.

Sara was nodding her head a few times then she looked at Steve. “Smokehouse Burger.”

“Right on,” agreed Steve. “Those are the best.”

Sara grinned as she reached over and took Erin’s menu and stacked it on hers.

Steve now looked at Ashley.

“Colossal Burger,” ordered Ashley. “Just hold the mayo though.”

Steve laughed while he wrote the order down.

Sara now took Ashley’s menu.

“K?” Ashley nudged her best friend.

“Mmmm.” Katia’s eyebrows were furrowed together as she looked up at the server. “Can I do an appetizer for a entrée?”

“Of course,” replied Steve.

“Can I get the Chicken Quesadilla… oh and hold the jalapeños.”

“Yeah sure.” Steve finished writing it down then he reached down to take the menus from Sara and Katia’s one. “Be back with those cheese fries.”

Erin licked her lips just at the thought of food.

“Not hungry?” quietly asked Ashley to Katia.

“Not really,” admitted Katia. “And I know the quesadilla will fill me up.”

Ashley nodded and shifted her attention to her blue drink.

“That looks… interesting,” commented Sara as she lowered her head and peered through the blue margarita.

“Yeah it does,” agreed Erin. She reached to pick up her glass of beer.

Katia slowly raised an eyebrow as Ashley took a small drink from the margarita. “How is it?”

Ashley softly laughed and replied, “Wicked.” She brought up her index finger and ran it along the brim to collect some of the salt. “Wanna try it?” she asked to Katia then she slipped her salt coated finger in her mouth.

Katia just watched Ashley for a second; she blinked then quickly replied, “Yeah.”

“Wait,” protested Erin. “You cite her for holding a beer but you’ll let her try your margarita?”

Ashley smirked as she pushed the drink to Katia. “I’m off duty.”

Katia tried a sip of the blue margarita and instantly her face squinched up. “Ooooh… that is wicked.” She pushed the drink back to her older friend. “That’s all you, Ash.” She grabbed her soda while muttering, “Wow.”

Ashley snickered and took another drink. “Wanna try it again?” she teased to Katia. “You’ll get use to it.”

“No way,” protested Katia. “That was good for life.” Katia grinned as she lowered her head and took a sip from her soda.

Ashley was grinning from ear to ear as she took another drink of her margarita. When she put it back down, she looked at Erin. “How’s that Samuel Adams?”

“Really good,” commented Erin.

“You like dark beers?” inquired the cop.

“Sometimes,” replied Erin. “I do like Black and Tan.”

“Oooh.” Sara grinned. “That is good. I love a Guinness now and again.”

“Yeah,” agreed Ashley. “Just something about a dark beer I love.”

Katia huffed and teased, “Maybe the head on it?”

Erin and Sara both cracked up laughing.

“That was bad, Katia.” Erin shook her head at her roommate.

“That was,” agreed Ashley and she glowered down at her date.

“I couldn’t help it,” complained Katia. She knocked her shoulder against Ashley’s arm. “Sorry.”

Slowly Ashley started to smile. “Its okay.” She then turned her head away and reached forward to run her finger along the salt rim again.

“Is that good?” asked Katia.

“Try it.” Ashley brought her blue salt covered finger to Katia’s lips.

Sara’s eyes went wide as Ashley’s finger slipped between Katia’s lips.

Erin’s mouth started to fall open as Ashley’s finger pushed more between Katia’s lips.

Ashley’s half grin grew more cat like as Katia’s warm tongue removed the salt from her finger. Slowly she pulled her finger from Katia’s mouth and purred, “Like it?”

“Mmmm.” Katia couldn’t control the mischief grin. “Yeah… it’s real nice.”

Sara opened her mouth to say something, anything but nothing came to her.

Suddenly the spell between Katia and Ashley was broken by Ashley’s cell phone ringing.

Ashley jumped and looked down as she unhooked her cell phone. After a grumbling sigh, she flipped open the phone. “Hey, Laurel.”

Both Katia and Erin exchanged glances.

“Yeah I’m out,” replied Ashley. She got up from her seat and pointed to her jacket by Katia. “I’m with Katia and a couple of her friends.”

Katia hastily pulled Ashley’s coat free and held it out to her.

“Yeah… it’s alright, baby.” Ashley looked at Katia and mouthed, “Be right back.” She turned and headed for the doors of the restaurant.

“Its alright?” muttered Katia. “What’s that suppose to mean?” she complained.

Sara looked at Erin and Erin just shrugged.

Katia huffed and grabbed her Coke to take another sip of it.

Sara looked at her girlfriend and muttered, “I’m gonna go for a smoke.”

Erin gave Sara and sceptic look. “Don’t… do anything,” she warned.

Sara suddenly had a huge, bright smile. “Of course not.” She quickly got out of her spot and headed for the outside.

As soon as Sara was gone, Steve arrived with their large platter of loaded cheese fries. “Gee what happened to the rest of the crew?”

“Phone call,” replied Katia.

“Smoke break,” added in Erin.

The server shrugged and put the fries down then the small plates to go with them. “More for you, gals.” He then took a quick survey of their drinks and asked, “You need another Adams?”

Erin grabbed her glass and drank what was left. “Thanks, Steve.”

The young man took the glass then strolled off.

“Its alright?” repeated Katia in an annoyed tone.

Erin sighed as she reached forward for a fry or two. “Maybe she’s just playing it off.” She popped a fry in her mouth. “This Laurel chic could be the jealous type.”

“So?” protested Katia. She picked up a plate and handed it to Erin. She then took her own.

“Sssso that means Ashley is trying to protect you.”

Katia was in the process of ripping apart of group of fries but stopped when her roommate said that. “Protect me?”

“Yeah sure.” Erin shrugged and grabbed a bunch of fries that were well covered in cheese and bacon pieces. “She doesn’t want to get Laurel jealous over you.”

Katia grumbled a little but didn’t say anything else as she contently ate the fries with Erin.

Sara had been smoking her cigarette for about a minute. As soon as she got outside, Ashley quickly moved away from her and gave her a warning look. Sara had taken the hint and moved down to the other end of the building to give Ashley space.

Sara sat down a bench at the corner of the building. She crossed one leg over the other as she blew out a stream of smoke. She turned her head and studied the state trooper.

Ashley had managed to get her leather jacket on again to keep herself warm. She was staring across the way at the Centre. She then spun around.

Sara narrowed her eyes when she could faintly make out Ashley say Katia was just a friend. She sighed and lowered her head to stare down at her legs and feet. She lifted her cigarette and took a long drag until her lungs where completely filled. Gradually she blew out the smoke and from the corner of her eye she saw Ashley hang up the phone and come to her.

Ashley stepped past Sara then sat down on the bench beside her.

“Girl trouble?” teased Sara.

Ashley slumped back into the bench after rolling her eyes. “That’s all she is… trouble.”

Sara softly laughed and took one last drag from her cigarette. “Then why you date her?” she muttered between the cigarette.

“Good question,” replied the officer.

Sara grinned as she was blowing at the smoke. She turned and put the butt into a free standing ashtray. “Must be the sex.” She was prepared to get a nasty look from Ashley. Yet instead she heard Ashley snicker at her comment. “Must be then,” she concluded aloud.

“No,” replied Ashley as she went serious again. “I think I like to torture myself.”

“I think you do too,” agreed Sara in a more serious manner than expected.

Ashley quickly looked over and asked, “What’s that suppose to mean?”

Sara grinned as she stood up. “I’ll let you figure that out yourself.” She then nodded at the doors down at the other end. “Going in?”

“Yeah… don’t want to keep my date waiting,” she joked and stood up to her full height.

“Yah know, Katia didn’t like it when you said ‘its alright.’ You know how she is.”

Ashley groaned yet a small grin pulled at her lips. “She outta know better than that.” She started for the doors with her friend. “Laurel gets jealous… easily. I have to play down everything so she thinks my life sucks without her.”

“Get plenty of problems otherwise huh?”

“Yeah,” quietly agreed the older woman. She reached ahead and opened the door for Sara.

Sara stopped in the enclosed lobby and turned to Ashley. “Just think, you got two women getting jealous over your attention.” A huge smirk crossed her lips. “Life is rough, ain’t it?” She laughed at how Ashley’s expression went from shock to then quick annoyance. She then decided to make a break for it and she quickly went inside before Ashley did anything.

Ashley sighed as she stepped through the doors into the restaurant. She quickly went to the booth but before she sat down, she took her jacket off again.

Katia half smiled when she took the leather jacket again.

“Miss me?” quietly teased Ashley.

“Yeah,” honestly replied Katia.

The state trooper hadn’t expected such a truthful reply and for a second, she just stared at Katia.

Katia then played it off by suddenly grinning. “Always miss yah.”

Ashley gradually lifted her right eyebrow but she soon mirrored the grin.

“Hey we saved you some fries,” cut in Erin.

Ashley now studied the plate of fries and nodded. “Salt city,” she muttered but she took a small plate and put some of the remaining fries on it.

“They’re nice,” commented Sara before she had a few of them.

Erin glanced at her girlfriend and said, “Great. You smell like a chimney.”

“Mmmm.” Sara evilly grinned at Erin. “Wait till yah kiss me.”

Erin groaned and rolled her eyes. She picked up her fresh glass of beer and took a gulp.

Ashley narrowed her eyes at Sara yet her eyes glowed with mischief. “Are you eighteen?”

“What?” choked Sara between her fries.

“Are you eighteen? You can’t smoke unless you are.”

“You’re off duty, Ash,” teased Katia.

“Wait.” Ashley put her hands down to her pockets while saying, “I know I have my badge somewhere around here.” She started to grin more. “Even my ticket pad too.”

Katia giggled but she reached over and took Ashley’s hands into her own. “No you don’t so stop makin’ Sara choke on her fries.”

Sara coughed and patted her chest after the got the bits of fry down the right pipe. “And I am over eighteen, just to let you know.”

Ashley inwardly sighed when Katia let go of her hands. “Glad to hear it.” She picked up her margarita and took a long drink.

“Here you go, ladies,” spoke up Steve. He suddenly appeared with their meals and started putting them down one by one. After he left, everybody start to eat in a soothing silence.

Every now and again, the group would pull out of their little worlds and look at Katia. Katia then would peered up when she realized everybody look at her. She giggled because she knew she’d been caught humming her happy food song. After a faint blush, she would go silent and continue her meal like nothing happened.

At the end of the meal, Steve returned to see who needed what and take away the empty plates. He gave Sara and Katia new drinks while both Erin and Ashley worked on their second drinks again. This time though, Ashley had gotten a Mangorita smoothie instead. Now Steve asked if anybody wanted any desserts and Ashley started nudging Katia.

Katia giggled and grabbed the dessert menu.

Erin and Sara already said they were fine but Steve waited on Ashley and Katia.

“Nnnno,” protested Katia. “I cannot eat that.”

Ashley pointed at her best friend. “Oh come on. It's chocolate… with some vanilla and caramel.”

“That’s exactly it. That’s too much, Ash.” Katia shook her head yet she was grinning.

“Pllllease,” whined the state trooper. “We’ll split it,” she suggested. “Come on.” She shifted her hand off of her leg and put it on Katia’s closest knee. “For me?” Ashley then pouted to Katia in hopes to win her agreement.

Katia’s shoulders slumped and she closed up the menu. She looked at Steve. “We’ll get the chocolate tallcake.”

“Excellent.” Steve wrote down the order for the dessert then asked, “And I’ll be back with your two’s drinks.”

“Thanks,” replied Sara.

Ashley grinned and squeezed Katia’s knee. “Thanks, K.” She pulled her hand away after that.

Katia just shook her head. “I’m such a sucker.” She then peered up into calm blue eyes and quietly said, “Those drinks are getting to you.”

Ashley gave her friend a silly grin. “Not really. I’m tall, full of food and only a drink and….” She peered over at her mangorita. “One-quarter loaded.” She chuckled at Katia’s sceptic expression. “I’ll admit I’m more relaxed though.”

“That’s what it is then.”

Erin grabbed her glass and decided to finish her beer. “Same here,” she agreed.

Sara smirked and looked at her girlfriend. “Makes tonight easier then.”

Erin threw a glare at Sara. “Relaxed… not crazy.”

Sara laughed and squeezed her girlfriend’s leg under the table. She soon felt Erin’s warm hand cover her cooler one. That only made Sara smile more.

Ashley looked at Sara and asked, “Ready for a little Jolie?”

“Ooooh yeah,” agreed Sara. “Big tits and lips.”

“Hey,” protested Erin.

Sara chuckled and added, “It just sucks she doesn’t have curly hair and amber eyes. Yah know, Ashley?”

“Yyyyeah,” agreed the state trooper. “Those types look so much hotter.”

Katia was just shaking her head, not believing the conversation between Sara and her best friend. She rarely ever heard Ashley talk about people like that and the fact she was hearing it almost made her blush.

“But you know what looks good too,” started Sara, “green eyes.”

“Mmmm.” Ashley just bit back her grin. “Those are nice.”

“Short blond hair,” piped in Erin. She then smirked at her roommate.

Katia saw Ashley was about to look at her. She quickly grabbed the dessert and beverage menu and flung it open. Her face was completely covered.

Ashley laughed at her friend and grabbed the menu off her. “Green is nice,” she teased after her eyes locked on a pair of cool emerald eyes.

Katia didn’t know what to say at first so she grabbed the menu back then finally said, “You are full of it tonight. Aren’t you?” She shoved the menu back into its home.

“You have nnno idea,” teased Ashley. She then grabbed her drink and took a sip from the straw. She then pushed it to her best friend. “Try it.”

“Oh no.” Katia pushed it back. “You’re just trying to get me drunk too. So then you can take me to your house and have your way with me.”

Both Sara and Erin started to laugh at Katia.

Ashley evilly laughed.

“See!” Katia pointed a finger at her best friend then said, “I got yah pinned now.”

Ashley smirked and lifted her drink. She let the straw slide between her lips and she did it so slowly that Katia couldn’t help but watch her. Ashley looked away though as she opened her mouth slightly so her tongue could slide out onto the straw. Her tongue faintly ran up and down the tip of the straw.

Sara’s expression was shock again and she covered her mouth with her hand as tried to control her laughter.

Erin though was studying her roommate, whom was so intent on watching Ashley. She started to grin from ear to ear at Katia’s interest.

Ashley couldn’t control her grin anymore as she looked back at her date. She slid her tongue back in and took a small drink from the mangorita. She then put the drink back on the table and asked, “You sure you don’t want to try it, K? You’re looking at it like you do.”

Katia blinked and quietly asked, “Try what?”

Ashley almost started to laugh but she said, “The drink.”

Katia realized that everybody knew why she was so distracted. She closed her eyes when she sensed her face flash with heat.

Everybody started to laugh around the table at Katia.

Katia, however, sunk down in her seat and covered her blushing face with her hands.

At that point, Ashley actually started to feel bad. She leaned over and wrapped her arms around Katia’s slouched form and lowered her head. Her body seemed to hide Katia away from the world. “Sorry,” she whispered.

Katia faintly grinned and muttered, “Its okay.” She snuggled in closer to Ashley’s body and soon was surrounded by Ashley’s musky scent.

“You sure?” murmured the state trooper.

“Uh huh,” came Katia’s muffled reply, she then giggled some.

Ashley smiled as she kissed the top of Katia’s head. “Good to hear.” She gave a tight squeeze then straightened up.

Katia felt the cool air rush to her when Ashley pulled away. She reached up and straightened her hair out after it got messy. When she looked at Erin and Sara, she realized her two friends had the hugest smirks in the world. She glowered at them for it.

Just then the server arrived with Ashley and Katia’s dessert and two forks to tackle it. He also gave Sara and Katia their new drinks and took the empty glasses away. “Good luck to you two,” announced Steve.

“This is skill not luck,” protested the officer.

Steve laughed and nodded his head. “I think you’re right.” He grinned at Ashley before heading off again.

“You first,” ordered Katia. She held up her fork though, prepared to tackle the dark dessert.

Ashley shifted the plate more between her and Katia. “Not a problem.” She pushed the fork into the cake and made sure to coat it in fudge.

Katia trembled just at the thought of all the sugar. She braced herself as she took a small morsel of the dessert. “This is gonna be rich,” she whined.

“Hmmmm.” Ashley grinned and pushed Katia’s fork closer to her mouth.

Katia sucked in her breath as she chocolate entered her mouth and zipped to her taste buds. “Wow,” she muttered between the food.

Ashley laughed and shook her head as she got another piece of the dessert.

The pair continued to eat the dessert and Ashley had about two-thirds of it while Katia ate the rest. At the end of it, Katia quickly took a drink of her soda to wash it all down. She shook her head and pushed the plate into Ashley’s area.

The state trooper laughed and put her fork down on the empty plate. She put the plate closer to the edge of the table for Steve.

“That was impressive,” slowly spoke up Sara.

“Amen,” agreed Erin. She grinned at Katia.

Katia took a deep breath. “I can’t believe I ate one bit of that much less one third of that.”

Ashley was grinning but her attention was on Steve as he came with the cheque. “Here, Steve.” Her words made him stop in midaction but he held out his hand as Ashley handed him a credit card.

“Thank you,” replied Steve. He disappeared with the bill and credit card.

“Wait, wait. That bill is a team effort,” reminded Sara.

Ashley grinned as she picked up her drink. “I was the last one in.”

“I was just kidding about that.” Erin had partial upset look because she now felt guilty.

“Not to worry,” brushed off the officer.

“You got to let us handle something,” whispered Katia.

Ashley grinned at her best friend but was a little more serious as she said, “You all handled the entertainment and transportation. That works for me.”

“The tip at least?” continued to protest Sara.

“I’ve got it,” reassured Ashley. She sipped on her drink that was slowly depleting.

Katia knew she wouldn’t win if she tried to fight Ashley over it. So she let it go for now and she reached over to take Ashley’s hand that was near. “Thank you, Ash.”

The state trooper was putting her drink down as she looked at Katia. “No problem.” She quickly squeezed Katia’s hand before their hands separated.

“Yeah thank you, Ashley,” spoke up Erin.

“Thank you, Ashley,” agreed Sara, she gave the trooper a warm smile.

Ashley smiled and replied, “Welcome.” She then saw Steve come back with the bill and her credit card.

Steve put down the items in front of Ashley and with a pen. “Thank you all, ladies.” He straightened up and smiled at them. “It was a pleasure to serve you all.”

“Thank you, Steve.” Katia also smiled at him.

“Have a goodnight.”

The group said goodnight to Steve then they all went quiet while Ashley finished writing out the amount on the bill. After Ashley was finished, she took one last drink from her mangorita then scooted out of the booth.

Erin and Sara took the hint and also got out of the booth.

Katia though was taking a second to get Ashley’s jacket and her purse. When she hopped out of the booth, she held out Ashley’s leather jacket.

The state trooper smiled and took her jacket.

Katia knew it was a smile of thank you and she could only smile back as warm blue eyes studied her.

“Come on, girls,” teased Erin. “We have a movie to catch.” She was already pushing Sara through the restaurant towards the doors.

Katia giggled some and after getting her purse over her shoulder, she followed behind Ashley. When they got outside, she came up behind Ashley and grabbed both of Ashley’s upper arms. “So you are going to let me buy your movie ticket?”

Ashley grinned and looked down to her left where Katia’s pressed her cheek against her arm. “No, I was planning to handle that too.”

Katia peered up with glowing emerald eyes. “Come on, let me handle it.”

The state trooper came to a slow stop at the trunk of Katia’s car. “Why?”

Katia’s eyes flickered over to see Sara and Erin were a few car spaces away because Sara was smoking another cigarette. “Because you paid the bill. That ticket isn’t going to break me,” she teased.

Ashley grinned.

“Besides,” continued Katia, “you’re my date, I’m suppose to be taking you out.”

“Alright,” whispered Ashley, “I’ll let it slide.” Her head turned to the right as Katia came around to the front of her body.

Katia grinned and she said, “Thank you.” She then realized she had her hands on Ashley’s hips and inside of her leather jacket. She then quickly played it off by leaning in to hug her friend.

The officer chuckled and hugged her friend back. As she pulled back, she quietly said, “Come on. It is getting late.”

The college student was grinning as she pulled away and headed for the driver’s door. She then looked over at Erin and Sara and saw them coming too. “Hurry up, you two.” She unlocked her car and got in only to start buckling her seatbelt. She heard Ashley get in across from her then her two friends in the back. She quickly started her car then backed out of the parking spot.

Within a minute they were again parking in the Hoyts’ movie parking area. Everybody piled out of the car again and walked to the movie theatre. When they got inside, Katia got tickets for her and Ashley while Sara got tickets for her and Erin. The movie was getting ready to start in fifteen minutes so the group went inside right away and found seats in the middle of the theatre.

By the end of the movie, the group was rather worn out and quietly leaving the theatre, headed for the car. They came outside into the well-emptied parking lot and it was well after eleven.

Katia came up behind Ashley. “You like the movie?” she asked.

Ashley grinned and held her hands out behind herself. “Yeah.”

Katia took the offer and grasped the larger hands into her own. “How about you two?”

Erin and Sara were ahead of the other two so they looked back and realized Katia and Ashley were holding hands.

Erin had a huge smirk as she replied, “Yeah it was great.”

“Uh huh,” agreed Sara. She quickly looked away as she pulled out a cigarette but managed to nudge her girlfriend too.

When they approached the car, Erin and Sara stepped aside so Sara could finish her cigarette.

Ashley and Katia however stood at the back of the car again.

Katia leaned against her car’s trunk as she continued to hold Ashley’s hands.

Erin glanced over and grinned at how the pair just acted like it was so natural. “You know what movie I can’t wait for in the spring?”

Katia finally tore her gaze off of Ashley and looked at her roommate. “What’s that?”

“Shrek 2,” replied Erin.

Sara laughed and said, “I love that first one.”

“I’m not so sure the second one is suppose to be has good,” remarked Katia.

“Hey anything with Eddie Murphy is funny shit,” stated Sara. “He can make fun about lesbians all he wants and I’d still laugh my ass off.”

“You would,” teased Katia. She then peered up at her best friend. “You see that movie?”

“Oh yeah, it was good,” agreed Ashley. She had a silly grin. “I also loved Ice Age.”

“Oh my god, Scrat is so funny in that movie!” Erin started to laugh from her memories of the movie.

“You mean that squirrel, right?” asked Sara between her cigarette.

“That’s him.” Erin giggled a few more times.

Katia laughed as she studied her pair of friends. “Yeah, I died laughing at that preview with Scrat and his acorn.”

“I love the part with the birds.” Ashley dropped her head some as she tried to recall what they were called.

“Oh you mean the Dodos,” helped Katia.

“That’s it.” Ashley lifted her head with a smile.

“That was a good part too,” agree Sara as she blew out the remaining smoke. She then threw her cigarette on the ground and stepped on it. “Come on, I’m good now.”

“Good. I’m finished freezing off my ass for your cigarette break,” teased Erin.

Once everybody got into the car, Katia started it and drove over to North Salisbury Boulevard.

Sara sat forward in her seat and asked, “You seen that movie Gia, Ashley?”

Ashley looked back at the younger woman and nodded. “Yeah that was an excellent movie with Angelina Jolie.”

“What’s a Gia?” spoke up Katia.

Ashley chuckled as she switched her focus to her best friend. “It’s a who.”

“Well… who’s Gia?”

“A model,” simply replied the state trooper.

Erin decided to do the explanation. “Gia was a model back in the seventies and eighties. The movie is a biography they did on her short life.”

“Short life?” questioned Katia.

“She got mixed up in drugs,” explained Sara.

“Its really good.” Erin grinned and added, “Sara and I just watched it not long ago.”

“And you didn’t let me see it?” complained Katia.

Sara smirked as she said, “It’s a lesbian movie.”

Katia blinked and whispered, “Oh.” She furrowed her eyebrows and looked at Ashley. “How’s it lesbian?”

The state trooper quietly laughed then answered the question. “Gia has a girlfriend and….” She shrugged and added, “She struggles between her desires for Linda or for the drugs.”

“Huh.” Katia was quiet as she studied the area around Route 50. She then asked, “Angelina Jolie plays Gia?”

“Yeah,” replied Erin, “she does an amazing job too.”

Katia pressed her lips together in thought. After a deep breath, she glanced at Ashley then back at the highway. “You have the movie, Ash?”

Slowly a grin spread across Ashley’s lips.

Katia stole a quick glance and saw that grin. “You do, don’t you?”

“Yes… why?”

“Can I see it?”

Sara smirked and gave a grin to her girlfriend.

Erin just shook her head but she was amused.

“Are you sure, K?” Ashley lifted an eyebrow for emphasis.

“Yeah of course.” Katia pushed on her brakes as she came closer to the turn for Sharptown Road.

“Alright,” agreed Ashley. She bit back a yawn as she stretched her legs out as much as she could in the small car. “How about tomorrow night?”

Katia turned onto Sharptown Road then replied, “Perfect.” She grinned over at her best friend.

Ashley returned the grin.

“You won’t be disappointed, Katia,” teased Sara.

Katia laughed and with her right hand, she brushed back her blond hair. “I’m sure of it.” Just ahead she saw Ashley’s house and she made the left into the driveway. She parked the car and left the engine running as she and Ashley got out.

Sara and Erin though remained in the car, their eyes carefully watching the other two women.

“They were flirting aaaall night,” spoke first Sara.

Erin grinned yet she sighed a bit sadly.

“Look how close they’re walking together up to the house,” joked Sara. She had her face almost plastered to the window as she watched them. “They’re so gonna kiss.”

“No they’re not,” protested Erin. “You know Katia will not allow that.”

“Oh come on, you know she wants her lips on Ashley.”

Erin laughed as she leaned to her left and peered out the window too. “They’d make a cute couple though.”

“They’re so perfect,” agreed Sara in a dreamy voice. “Look?” She grinned as she watched Ashley take Katia’s hands. “They’re gonna kiss.”

“Thanks for tonight, K,” whispered the state trooper.

Katia smiled as she peered down at her balled up hands carefully covered by Ashley’s larger hands. “Thank you for coming.” She lifted her head up.

Ashley tilted her head to one side as she enjoyed how the moon behind her seemed to reflect in Katia’s eyes. “Wait… before you go, I need to give you two things. I just remembered.” She released her friend’s hands and grabbed her house keys from her pockets. “Come inside.”

“Goddamn it,” growled Sara, “they’re going inside. How’s Katia expect us to see her kiss if she’s inside?”

Erin laughed as she patted her girlfriend’s leg. “They’re not going kiss, baby.”

Sara felt a smile tug at her lips from the nickname. “Why not? They want each other.”

“And Katia is in a relationship… so is Ashley.” Erin frown a little. “You know Katia is going to feel guilty enough for tonight.”

Sara grumbled and muttered, “Yeah. She’ll think she’s cheated on Bobby if she even stares at Ashley for more than two seconds.”

“Mmmm.” Erin lowered her head against Sara’s shoulder.

“We need to break up those relationships,” concluded Sara.

“Good luck,” muttered Erin. “Katia will not break up unless Bobby really does something bad.”

“You don’t think if Ashley pronounces her undying love for Katia, she won’t dump his ass?”

Erin slowly closed her eyes. “Nope and that’s because Katia doesn’t realize her own colours, baby. You know that. She’s at the stage of being unsure and if some lesbian jumps on her, she’ll run screaming.” She faintly yawned then quietly added, “It's going to take some good engineering to play this off right.”

Sara folded her arms over her chest. “Why you think Haley called her anyway?”

Erin lifted her head. “You set that up?”

Sara suddenly had a huge smirk.

“Ashley, I can’t… seriously.” Katia still held her hand up and open, the key resting in her palm.

Ashley sighed but with her right hand she closed up Katia’s hand over the key. “I trust you, Katia so there’s nothing to worry about.”

“I know but it's just… it's your home, Ashley.” Katia peered up with an extremely worried expression.

The state trooper softly smiled at her friend’s concern. “Exactly. I trust you and this way you know you can come here at anytime.” She lowered her head closer to Katia’s face. “I went through some trouble to duplicate that house key for you.”

Katia chuckled then she sighed as her hand lowered down to her side. “Thank you.”

Ashley lifted her head as a smile formed on her lips. She then partially turned to her right and retrieved the cd case sitting on her kitchen counter. “And here, this is a copy of a group called 4 Strings.” She handed the cd case over to her friend. “They’re like Lasgo.”

Katia groaned and said, “I need to get that back to you.”

“Don’t worry. Hang onto it for me.” The taller woman shrugged her shoulders. “I made a copy of Lasgo.”

“I know,” whispered Katia. She saw the confused look on Ashley’s face so she explained herself. “I saw the cd sitting on your desk. I just briefly walked through the house the other day to see if you’d finished unpacking.”

“Yeah pretty much did,” agreed Ashley. “Come on, you need to get back to your dorm.”

“Yeah I know.”

“Besides Sara and Erin are waiting for you.”

Katia giggled as she said, “They’re probably making out anyway.”

Ashley laughed as she guided her friend through the living room and back outside again. “You’ll be here tomorrow?”

“Yeah. What time?” asked Katia. She opened the door and stepped outside.

Ashley came outside as well and closed the doors. “I’ll be here at four so anytime after that.”

“Okay.” Katia folded her arms over her chest to keep her body warmer. She turned around and faced her best friend.

“Oh also before I forget,” started Ashley, “what you do for Thanksgiving break?”

Katia held her breath when Ashley asked her that. She could already guess where her friend was going with this question. “I typically go home… not that we do much of a Thanksgiving anymore. My mom doesn’t cook a turkey anymore really.”

Ashley lifted her hands and let them rest on Katia’s shoulders. “Well you’re more than welcome to come home with me. I’ll be headed up to mother’s.” She then shrugged and added, “I normally take as much time off as you get off for break.” Her grin grew when Katia started to smile at her.

“Where does your mom live?”

“Rehoboth,” replied Ashley. “Well just outside of Rehoboth… on the bay side.”

“Oh wow then you are closer to your mom’s.”

“Yeah,” agreed Ashley, “but still far enough.”

Katia giggled but when she settled down, she started to nod her head. “Let me check with my folks but I think I can.”

“Alright.” Ashley couldn’t help her happy smile. “Just let me know.”

“I will,” promised Katia. She sensed Ashley’s strong hands squeezing her shoulders then Ashley’s hands slid down her arms and came to a stop at her wrists. She dropped her head and sighed as she looked up again. “I really don’t want to go.”

“I know,” whispered Ashley. “You do have class though.”

“I know.” Katia started to frown but she stepped in closer to Ashley.

Ashley didn’t hesitate to move closer and pull Katia into her arms.

Katia wrapped her arms around Ashley’s waist and lowered her head onto Ashley’s chest. “Thank you again.”

Ashley lowered her head until it rested on top of Katia’s head. “I didn’t… cross any lines tonight?”

Katia slightly grinned but she whispered, “No.”

“Good… means I won’t feel guilty tomorrow.”

Katia quietly giggled as her eyes drifted shut. All she felt was Ashley’s warmth surrounding her and protecting her.

“Fucking kiss!” yelled Sara. She groaned and dropped her head back against the seat. “I’m so suck of the hugging.” She heard her girlfriend laugh at her and she glared over at Erin. “They need to kiss and have sex, I’m telling yah. Katia needs it… bad.”

“Sara,” warned Erin, “that is so not your business.” She smirked as she closed her eyes again and settled into her seat. “Besides, how you know her and Bobby aren’t having sex?”

“Because I know Katia,” simply stated Sara. “She doesn’t want his-” She was suddenly cut off by Erin’s hand over her mouth.

“Ssssh. Here comes Katia.”

Sara’s brown eyes flickered to the window where she saw Katia coming towards the car. She licked her lips after Erin removed her hand.

Katia opened the car door but she didn’t get into the car. Her attention was completely on Ashley. “Goodnight, Ash!”

“See you tomorrow, K. Drive safely too.” Ashley was half in the house and half hanging out the doorway. “Bye!”

“Bye!” Katia had a silly expression as she waved then got down into the car. She watched as Ashley closed the door then she lifted her right hand.

Erin peered between the seats and watched Katia’s spin a key between her fingers. “What’s that key for?”

“Everything,” muttered Katia.

Sara opened her mouth to ask something but she hesitated. She looked over at her girlfriend in question.

Erin simply shrugged to Sara.

Katia pressed her back against the seat as she lifted herself up some and was able to slip the key into her jean pocket. She then opened the cd case Ashley gave her. “Ready to try something new, girls?”

“Oh god what?” joked Sara.

Katia opened the drop face cd player and pulled out the cd. “A little techno.” She inserted the burn cd.

“Oh shit… I hate that shit,” complained Sara. “I need a smoke.” She was about ready to get out but Katia suddenly put the car in reverse.

“Not till we get to campus,” taunted Katia.

“I don’t think so. I’ll put the window down and smoke in here.”

Katia quickly moved her hand down to the dash panel near her gear shift. She switched the child window lock on for the rear windows.

Sara was pushing the down button for the window but the window wasn’t moving. “Katia Danforth,” she screamed.

Katia snickered as she backed up onto the road. She then drove towards Route 50 and back to Salisbury University. The smile she had since the hug with Ashley was still growing as she thought more about tonight. She had a really good night with Ashley, the best yet so far and she couldn’t wait until tomorrow afternoon. It was something about Ashley’s unconditional love for Katia that made Katia feel so special around Ashley. Katia never had that with anybody else and she was easily attracted to it.

**To be continued.**


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Katia slowly stepped out of the science building but stepped out of the way of the doors as other students hurried out. She was waiting for both Erin and Bobby to get out of the Bay class. Katia went down a step and leaned against the railing as she continued to wait.

Slowly her thoughts wondered off to Ashley since after class she’d be headed over there. She then realized tomorrow would be a busy Friday. She’d have lunch with Haley then go out to dinner with Bobby. She knew she’d be exhausted by the end.

Bobby came out of the science hall and saw Katia waiting for him. He grinned and quietly came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her into his body.

Katia jumped in fear when somebody grabbed her from behind. She hastily spun around with an angry look despite her eyes showed fear. “Wha-”

“Chill, Katia.” Bobby withdrew his arms and lost his teasing smile. “What was that look for?”

“Sorry,” brushed off Katia. “Don’t sneak up on me… I hate that.”

Bobby gave out an annoyed sigh as he went down a step beside Katia. “Gee you’re always jumpy around me,” he randomly commented.

Katia folded her arms over her body in a seeming protective manner. “Its not you personally just….” She shook her head and Erin’s voice broke the conversation.

“What a pain in the ass!” complained Erin. “We have to be here now on the last day before Thanksgiving break.”

“Yeah I know,” complained Bobby, “I have no goddamn classes except for his and its at the end of the day.”

Katia faintly grinned as she walked down the rest of the steps. Her roommate and boyfriend following behind.

“You’re not too upset,” pointed out Erin. She came up to her roommate’s side. “Not excited to go home?”

Katia shrugged then simply said, “I’m not sure I’m even going home.”

“Then where are you going?” cut in Bobby.

Katia was about to quickly reply but she bit her tongue. She knew if she said it in front of Bobby, he might get rather annoyed. “I’m not sure really… but I’ll probably end up going home.”

“Well you’re not staying here,” joked Erin.

Katia slightly laughed but fully agreed with her roommate. She then shifted closer to Bobby and peered up at him. “You coming by tonight?”

Bobby sighed while he tried to adjust his pack some. “No, I can’t. I have a lot of work to do.”

Katia already knew that but she wanted to confirm it. She didn’t want to go to Ashley’s place and have him show up at her room so he could find out where she went. “Think you’ll get it finished tonight?”

Bobby huffed. “If I’m lucky.”

“You have that same bio project Sara has?”

Bobby looked at Erin and nodded at her. “Yeah, he’s been giving us a ton of projects lately.”

“Yeah I noticed Sara has been knocked over with it, same with Mike.”

Bobby was shaking his head as he looked ahead to see the girls’ dorm. When they came to the steps of the dorm, he stopped and faced Katia. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“We’re still up for our date, right?” quietly asked Katia. She stepped up closer to him.

Erin however went around them and decided to go inside of the dorm. She didn’t like being around Bobby at all.

“Yeah.” Bobby grinned some as he added, “We’re going to Watermen’s. How’s that?”

“Ooooh, sounds nice.” Katia smiled and took his hand into hers. “What time?”

“I was thinking… six we’ll leave.” He shrugged yet he had a questioning look.

“Sounds perfect.” Katia hadn’t lost her smile.

Bobby softly smiled back then lowered his head, he whispered, “Wear something nice.”

Katia’s nose crinkled up some yet she grinned at him. “Oh I will.” She released his hand and put it behind his head.

Bobby followed the signal and firmly brought his lips against his girlfriend’s. It didn’t take him but a second to push his tongue into Katia’s mouth.

Katia hadn’t quite expected the forcefulness and she resisted her natural instinct to pull back. She played it off my softly moaning as he took control. When he pulled back, he made sure to bit her lip but a little harder than needed. Katia held her breath when it struck an unsettling nerve in the pit of her stomach.

“I’ll see you later, baby.” Bobby winked and turned to leave.

Katia stood there a little shocked by the kiss. She wasn’t sure which bothered her more, the forcefulness of the kiss or the terrifying sensations it caused in her. She’d never had a kiss that reminded her of her old fears. She reached up with her right hand and touched her lower lip. When she pulled back her hand, she found her middle finger spotted with blood. She quickly focused her eyes onto Bobby far off in the distance.

“Damn,” Katia muttered and rubbed the blood away between her fingers. She tried to shake it off, ignore it as she went into the dorm.

Erin looked up when her roommate came into the room. She noted the very strange, long look on Katia’s face and she became worried. “You okay, Katia?”

“Huh?” Katia’s attention went to her roommate. “Oh yeah… just… thinking about something.”

Erin almost brushed it off but then she saw a red spot on Katia’s lip. “What happened to your lip?”

Katia quickly reached up to wipe the fresh spot of blood off. “Awe nothing; I bit my lip too hard. You know my habits.” She went over to her desk and dropped her bay books on top.

Temptation drove Erin to almost ask another question but she faltered when Katia cut her off.

“You going out tonight?” Katia had turned around with her hands on her hips.

“No.” Erin dropped her head to one side. “Aren’t you going to Ashley’s?”

“Yyyyeah.” Katia lifted her left arm and noted the time on her watch. “I should head over then I’ll get back at a decent time.”

Erin returned to organizing her books in her pack, which rested on her bed. “You have a lot of work?”

“Not really… it’s just a lot of studying to get ready for tests.” Katia sighed and sat down at the foot of her bed. “I hate when the professors do that.”

“Yeah,” agreed Erin, “right before break.” She zipped up her book bag and carried it over to her desk, which was next to Katia’s. “I have to help Sara and Mikie with their bio project.”

“Really?” Katia chuckled in surprise. “They can’t handle it?”

“Three heads are better than two.”

“Two?” teased Katia, “more like one.”

“If that,” joked Erin and she giggled with her roommate. Suddenly there was a knock at the door and Erin responded to it by opening the door.

“Hi, girls.” Mike smiled at them and stepped into the room.

Katia returned the smile and got up. She was instantly pulled into a warm hug and received a kiss on the cheek. “How are you doing?”

“I’m gooood.” Mike grinned then went to hug Erin next. “So you gonna tell me about you and Sara?” he whispered in her ear.

“Mike!” yelled Erin as she partially pushed him away from the embrace. “How’d I know you were in here to get up on the G.”

“Yeah, Mikie it's still on the DL,” reminded Katia. “We’re suppose to pretend like we don’t know.”

“Yeah right.” Mike raised an eyebrow at both women. “This is ssso not on the DL… the only thing on the Down Low is Sara on Erin.”

“Mike!” hotly yelled Erin; she was crimson between embarrassment and anger.

Katia however was hanging her head down and shaking it. “Mike,” she muttered and looked up. “You’re so gonna get your ass kicked by Sara.”

“I don’t care; I want to know what’s up.” Mike eyed both of them and sat down on the footboard of Erin’s bed. “I won’t leave until you give me the details.”

“I so do not have time for this.” Katia threw up her hands then grabbed her pursue from her desk. She walked between the two of them but looked at Erin. “Good luck.” She smirked and opened the door.

“Thanks,” deadpanned Erin as she watched her roommate leave. “And enjoy eating out Ashley tonight!” she called out.

Katia was halfway out the door but swung it back open; her eyes were on fire with anger.

Mike had an astonished look and he held his breath.

Erin clamped her jaw down from laughing at her roommate at seeing how fiery Katia was at her.

Katia almost growled at how Erin’s eyes just laughed back at her. She stepped up closer to Erin and pointed her finger at Erin’s face. “You’re just fuckin’ jealous.”

“Of what?” tormented Erin, “that I can _get some_ from the woman I want and you can’t?”

Katia suddenly fisted up her hand as it lowered to her side.

“Oooooooh,” cheered on Mike. “She’s got you there, Katia.”

“Mike,” hissed Katia, “shove it.” Her eyes then flickered back to the smug roommate. “And Erin, I will personally ruin your life if you ever mention Ashley and I in a sexual way.”

“Is that a promise?” joked Erin.

Katia suddenly stepped closer and put her face closer into Erin’s. “Oh yeah… I’ll tell Sara eeeveryyythinggg.”

Erin’s smirk suddenly dropped. “Seriously? Everything?”

Katia knew she had her roommate pinned now. “Ev-ery-thing,” she whispered.

Erin gulped and slowly she nodded her agreement with her roommate.

“Good.” Katia reached up and patted her roommate’s cheek. “Tell Sara I said hi.” Now she had the smug look as she happily strolled out of the room.

When the door shut, Mike looked right to Erin and laughed. “Honey, you should not mess with Katia.” He threw up his hands and shook his head. “That was just so wrong.”

“Oh come on,” brushed off Erin, “you’d said it too.”

Mike smirked. “Yeah I would,” he admitted in an evil voice. “You were just quicker.” He watched Erin go around him and flop on her bed. He turned around and put his feet on the foot of the bed. “So what does Katia have on you that Sara doesn’t know about?”

“Nothing,” hastily replied Erin. She saw the sceptic look on Mike’s face and she rolled to her side with a dramatic groan. “Except for this one thing between Katia and I.”

“Thing?” probed Mike. “What’s a… one thing?” he started to tease, “Sex?”

“No!” hotly replied Erin. “It wasn’t that… just something.” She then saw the very interested look on Mike’s face and she knew better to carry on anymore. “Anyway, you wanna know about Sara and I huh?” She hoped the bait for the new topic would work.

Mike narrowed his eyes but the grin gave him away. “Tell me.”

***

Katia drove down Sharptown Road and kept an eye out for Ashley’s place. She knew it was just ahead and in the setting sunlight it was a bit hard to see the house. But when she neared the driveway, she slowed her car almost to a stop when her heart dropped.

As her Mercedes pulled into the driveway, she came to a stop behind a silver Toyota Corolla. Her eyes slowly drifted down and she noted there were Pennsylvania tags on the car.

“Oh great,” she muttered, “shit.” She turned her car off and got out of the car. She slammed the door a little harder than normal but after she adjusted her purse on her strap, she made up her mind to go knock on the door anyway. She was rather interested to meet Ashley’s mysterious girlfriend. As she neared the door, her heart began to race more and more and no attempts of deep breaths were helping.

Katia bit the side of her mouth in nervousness yet she lifted her hand and knocked on the door. She tapped her foot a few times as she waited for the door to be answered. She suddenly jumped when the door swung open and fully uniformed state trooper stood in the doorway.

“Hey, Katia.” Ashley sadly smiled at her best friend. Although, she immediately became a little concerned when she realized just how tired Katia looked. She also noted the small bite mark on Katia's lip but she remained quiet, for now.

“Katia?” repeated a high pitched voice.

Katia’s attention shifted to the tall woman just off to Ashley’s left side.

“Come in here, Katia.” Ashley stepped back and in the process her girlfriend moved aside as well.

Katia hesitantly stepped into the house. She finally had a clear and full view of Ashley’s girlfriend.

“Um….” Ashley held her hand out to Katia and looked at her girlfriend. “This is Katia Danforth.”

“Katia.” The state trooper looked at her best friend again. “This is Laurel Fielding.”

Laurel stepped forward and held her hand out. “I heard a lot about you, Katia.”

Katia wasn’t sure what to say but she took the much larger, slim hand. “I bet its all good,” she tried to joke.

Laurel half-laughed and released the smaller hand after a loose handshake. “You could say that.”

Ashley cleared her throat and cut into the conversation. “Stay for a little bit, Katia.”

“Yeah,” agreed Laurel as she brushed back her white-blond hair back. “I’d like to get to know you.”

“Um….” Katia wasn’t sure what to say but when she looked at Ashley, she saw some kind of plead in them. She suddenly gave Laurel a fake smile. “Why not?”

“Wonderful,” dryly replied Laurel. “Let’s sit.” She took Ashley’s hand and led her to the couch.

Katia took a deep breath as she urged her body to move. She went into the living room with them and sat down on a sofa-chair while Ashley and Laurel were on the couch. She crossed on leg over the other and settled her purse between her body and the sofa.

Laurel crossed her legs as well and straightened out her short, black skirt. “I hear you go to Salisbury.”

“I do,” confirmed Katia.

“How do you like it?” probed Laurel.

Katia felt a little uneasy with Laurel but she was trying to remain friendly for Ashley’s sake. “It’s a good school… I like it.”

Laurel nodded a few times as well as reached over to Ashley. “What’s your major?”

Katia swallowed as she felt her stomach pitch after she saw Laurel’s hand take Ashley’s. “Um….” She chuckled to try and brush off her uneasiness. “I’m not sure really yet. Thinking about something in the arts.”

Laurel smiled some and with her free hand, she brushed her hair back.

Katia drummed her fingers some on the sofa arm as she tried to think of something to say. “So what you do, Laurel?”

“I’m manager of a major department store up in Lancaster.”

“Oooh.” Katia nodded. “Okay. Retail then?” she urged.

“Yes, I have my bachelors in business management ssso it’s a start.”

Ashley finally stopped grinding her teeth at the nerve-racking conversation between her girlfriend and best friend. “How was your day?” she suddenly asked.

Katia felt a little relieved that Ashley had finally spoke to her since she’d answered the door. “Pretty good. How was work?”

Ashley considered the question then replied, “I have a case I’m looking into.”

“Really?” Katia became excited, a grin on her face. “What’s it about?”

“I can’t really say,” replied Ashley, “but it’s my first.”

Katia dropped her head to one side, “You think it’ll be tough?”

“It… could be,” answered Ashley.

“I’m sure you’ll keep it under control,” stated Katia, a smile on her face.

Ashley just barely nodded her agreement. She wasn’t so sure herself considering the circumstance of the case. “Well I have tomorrow off so….” Ashley glanced over at her girlfriend then looked back at Katia. “So I think Laurel is here for tonight.”

Katia took the hint that her best friend was giving her. In some part, she wanted to be annoyed since she’d had plans with Ashley tonight. But when she looked into Ashley’s eyes she could see the regret and apology in them. “Yeah I kinda thought so, “she brushed off and falsely smiled but more so at Laurel. “Tomorrow I’m pretty busy anyway… have a date with Haley and then my boyfriend.”

Laurel did a slight double-take but she lost her surprised look. “Oh you have a boyfriend?”

Katia noted the sarcasm in Laurel’s voice and her anger instantly ignited in her. “Yeah… I’m straight, yah know.”

Ashley cringed because she knew exactly how her girlfriend would react.

“No, I didn’t know,” replied Laurel, “from what I’ve heard from Ashley.”

Katia’s eyes narrowed and she looked at her best friend. “Oh really?” Her attention flickered back to Laurel.

Laurel felt her hand suddenly squeezed tightly by Ashley but she ignored it. Instead her eyes fired with annoyance for this younger woman. “You seem to keep a close circle of gay friends, Katia.”

“And what’s wrong with that?” hotly countered Katia.

“Nothing,” suddenly cut in Ashley. She released Laurel’s hand and stood up. “Come with me, Katia.” She saw her friend’s annoyance at her but she held her stoic expression. Finally Katia gave into her and got up to her feet. She then looked at Laurel. “I’ll be right back.”

Katia was lead to the front door and she knew she was about to be kicked out. She really didn’t care because her anger was focused on Laurel more than anything.

Ashley opened the front door and after Katia walked out, she stepped out too.

Laurel narrowed her eyes but she called, “Nice to meet you, Katia.” Her voice was a little screechy and held a lot of viciousness.

Katia stiffened up when she heard Laurel and her eyes shut. She tried to remain in control but it wasn’t working. She heard the house door shut then suddenly warm hands grabbed her shoulders and massaged them.

The state trooper sighed but she felt relieved when Katia’s tense shoulders started to loosen up. She lowered her head closer to Katia’s. “What was that all about?”

“What?” hissed Katia. She suddenly spun around, her eyes flaring with anger all over again. “She started in on me first.”

“You didn’t even give her a chance, Katia.”

Katia’s expression went into quick annoyance. “How you expect me to get along with… that?” She pointed to the side of the house as if Laurel was there. “It… it doesn’t even matter,” she brushed off. She suddenly broke away from Ashley and headed for her car. “I don’t date her… you do.”

Ashley took quick long strides and reached out to take Katia’s arm. She pulled her friend back and held her in place. “Look Katia, I’m sorry. I know we were suppose to watch Gia tonight and spend time together.”

Katia huffed and folded her arms over her chest. She wasn’t looking at Ashley but intently studied the grass off to her right.

Ashley freed one hand and brought her fingertips under Katia’s chin.

Katia couldn’t help but meet Ashley’s eyes when Ashley turned her head up.

“I didn’t expect her here,” whispered Ashley, “I actually had to take off work early. And I was not happy about that.”

“Welllll…” Katia’s eyes unfocused and she pulled away from Ashley again. “I’m sure you’ll have a… rrreally good weekend.” She laughed with sarcasm as she went towards her car again. She heard Ashley coming to her again so she stopped and turned around. “Don’t,” she warned. “Remember? I’m your best friend… she’s the girlfriend.” She shook her head then turned back away.

Ashley stood there, a bit shocked and rather hurt. Yet suddenly for the first time she became angry at Katia and went stalking up to her friend.

Katia knew by how hard Ashley’s boots hit the ground that Ashley’s temper had started. She quickly turned around once she was beside her car. She wasn’t ready to face the darkening blue eyes and angrily constructed face of Ashley.

“What the hell is your problem?” growled Ashley. Her body was extremely close to Katia’s. “You are throwing Laurel in my face like I… I cheated on you. You’re right, she is my girlfriend and you’re just my friend.”

“Well glad we got that… straight,” hissed Katia

Ashley growled at the double meaning that Katia just used.

“What do you want, Katia huh?” Ashley grabbed her friend’s shoulder roughly. “What is it huh?”

Katia’s eyes narrowed and she reached up to remove the large hands. “You want to stop dating that fuckin’ trash!” she yelled. She then grabbed at the door handle.

“No,” growled the state trooper. She took Katia’s hand into her own. “You’re not leaving until we get this settle.”

“There’s nothing to settle,” hotly protested Katia.

“Oh I think there is.”

“And what the fuck is that huh? Officer?”

Ashley almost lost her control out of pure frustration. She suddenly walked away from Katia, knowing very well that she’d start yelling at her friend.

Katia stood there a little stunned that Ashley just backed off. She turned to her car and grabbed the handle again but she could hear how heavily her friend was breathing. She closed her eyes and dropped her head forward. Katia’s shoulder slumped down.

Ashley stopped walking when she came onto the walkway however she kept her back to Katia. She folded her arms over her chest and her eyes drifted shut.

Katia licked her lips and gradually faced in Ashley’s direction. She could tell by Ashley’s ridged back she’d really pushed her friend to her limits. She tried putting aside her distain for Laurel and reminded herself the importance of her friendship with Ashley.

Ashley was breathing deeply and trying very hard to relax even though it was practically impossible. But when a pair of small, warm hands started to knead her shoulders, her frustration began to recede.

“I’m sorry,” whispered Katia. She leaned forward and pressed her right cheek against Ashley’s left arm. “I just don’t think you should… be dating somebody like Laurel.”

“Why?” whispered Ashley, her eyes still closed and her body still stiff.

“Because she’s not good enough for you,” quietly answered Katia.

“But you hardly know her,” reminded the officer.

Katia licked her lips and lifted her head off Ashley’s arm. “No I don’t,” she admitted, “but I can just feel that she’s not… she’s not meant for you.”

Ashley opened her eyes again and she turned around, which broke the contact with Katia’s hands. She peered into now very calm green eyes. “Then who is?” she quietly whispered.

Katia’s gaze dropped at the question. “I don’t know,” she confessed and lifted her eyes back up. “But its not her.”

Ashley huffed and her arms tightened more over her chest. She felt several urges come to life in her, she fought with all of them then settled on one of them. “Well until I find somebody better, I’m stuck with her.” She paused as her head went to one side. “Besides… you’re already taken.”

Katia’s jaw slowly fell open at Ashley’s admission. She didn’t know what bothered her more, the fact that Ashley’s words turned her on or the fact that her body was weak with fear.

Ashley instantly knew her confession had a strong affect on her friend. She wasn’t sure whether to walk away or stay but she really couldn’t leave Katia hanging like this. She watched as Katia struggled with what she just told her.

Katia grabbed Ashley’s folded arms with both her hands. She needed the support as she tried to take in Ashley’s words. Slowly her gaze met Ashley’s once more. “Ashley….”

The state trooper sighed and whispered, “Its okay.” She was trying to comfort her friend without scaring her either.

Katia bit her lower lip as she studied her friend’s emotionless blue eyes. “Ashley, I love you and I won’t deny that,” she quietly admitted.

“You don’t have to-”

“No,” cut off Katia and she squeezed Ashley’s muscular arms. “You don’t understand, Ashley.” She shook her head and ran a hand through her hair then returned her hand to Ashley’s arm. “I don’t know if I am… am gay, a lesbian… whatever.” She laughed some but more out of uneasiness. “I just know I love you and I think you’re incredible.” She partially grinned and said, “I’ve been obsessed with you since I met you.”

“Then what is it?” asked the confused officer.

“I can’t… I can’t get into it,” replied Katia. “I’m sorry but I just can’t.” She tried swallowing down the lump in her throat. “I’m scared, Ashley… I really am.”

“Katia, you’re going to deny yourself something you want over fear? Without even trying?”

“Yes,” whispered the younger woman, “It's safer this way. I’m confused as it is, Ashley and I have a lot, and I mean a lot of problems.” She shook her head while studying Ashley’s face. “You don’t need that out of a girlfriend.”

Ashley suddenly unfolded her arms and grabbed Katia’s shoulders. “Let me help you, Katia as a friend… a sister, whatever you want.”

“No,” protested the smaller woman. “It’s my problem, nobody else’s.”

“Why?” whispered the state trooper. “Why can’t you let me in?”

Katia dropped her head and muttered, “It’s just better this way.” When she gazed up again, she saw just how scared and worried Ashley was for her. She suddenly hugged her best friend to offer her comfort as much as for herself.

Ashley tightly hugged her friend back and she wished she could keep Katia in her arms, to protect her. She knew she’d won some kind of battle today with Katia’s demons. The fact that she knew Katia loved her just as much was a start; the recognition of love was a start. At that point, she decided it was best to change the topic and pursue it later when it would be easier. So when she pulled back some from the hug, she tried to smile a little and asked, “What about that movie?”

Katia shrugged and reminded, “Laurel’s here.”

“Not forever,” reminded the state trooper. She then glanced at Katia’s car. “Your car is dirty.”

The college student laughed and shook her head. “Thanks… everybody is saying that.” She smiled at the crooked grin that formed on Ashley’s face.

“How about this? Laurel leaves tomorrow and Sunday I work until about two. Why don’t you come over here some time Sunday, wash your car and when I get home, we’ll watch Gia.”

“Wait.” Katia suddenly had a huge grin. “You mean I can use your cleaning supplies on my car?”

Ashley laughed and nodded her head. “Yeah… it’s all in the garage. And the code to get into the garage is the last four digits of my cell phone number.” She smiled at her friend’s somewhat happy expression. “How’s that for a deal?”

“That works,” agreed Katia.

“Okay good.” Ashley then finally released her friend and said, “I better get back inside before Laurel gets anymore jealous of you.”

Katia laughed at Ashley’s joke. “Alright.” But instead of letting Ashley go, she grabbed a much larger hand. “Thanks, Ash… and I’m sorry.”

Ashley squeezed the smaller hand and tried to smile. “It's okay. I’m always here for you, Katia.”

“I know,” whispered the smaller woman. She gave one last squeeze then separated. She went to her car but half turned, waved and called out, “Bye.”

“See yah, K.” Ashley smiled back then went into the house.

Katia got into her car and drove off, headed back to Route 50. As she drove, she repeated a lot of the conversation between her and Ashley. She started to feel bad about how she’d reacted so childishly and that she let Laurel get to her. She knew in truth that her friendship with Ashley meant more to Ashley than Ashley’s relationship with Laurel. When Katia realized that, it made a silly grin appear on her face.

Katia came to a stop along Route 50 and waited until there was an opening to cross onto the highway. Suddenly though her concentration was broke when a Blazer pulled up behind her and waited. Katia felt her heart pound and she kept peering through her rear view mirror at them. Her eyes flickered down to the license plate and she realized it had Pennsylvania tags. Fear instantly surged through her body and she started to shake. “Oh god,” she whispered.

Katia quickly realized there was a break in the traffic and she hit the gas. Her Mercedes went rolling through the traffic and onto the opposite side of the split highway. Katia got into the slow lane and sped up to sixty miles per hour. She then saw the Blazer was coming up behind her but with the sunset glare, she couldn’t make out the person inside of it.

The Chevy Blazer roared its engine and blinked into the left lane. It came up along side Katia within a few seconds.

Katia hastily glanced over and saw the driver was an older woman in her mid-thirties or so. She sighed and slumped into her seat some. She felt all her fear energy just rush out of her and it left her heart pounding. “Nice one, Katia,” she muttered in annoyance.

Within fifteen minutes, Katia was walking back into her room to be greeted yet again by another scene of Sara and Erin kissing in bed. Katia had just groaned extremely loud at them when they frantically tried to separate. She then explained that she was back early again because of a certain situation at Ashley’s place. It only took Erin and Sara a half of a second to realize Katia had met Laurel. They were soon asking every question under the sun about Laurel and Katia tried her best to answer them.

After awhile the conversation died out and Katia decided to do some work for her classes. Erin and Sara eventually left after about an hour or so. Katia however remained doing her work throughout most of the night, trying to keep herself distracted. If it was one thing Katia was, she was ahead in her classes from her long nights of staying up.

It wasn’t until about three am that Katia crawled into her bed to get about four restless hours of sleep. She knew she’d need a little sleep considering she’d have a busy day between classes and dates. Maybe just a few hours of nightmares would even help, or maybe not.

**To be continued.**


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Katia strolled into the cafeteria lobby and pulled out her cell phone from the chest pocket of her grey wool jacket. She read the time and it was ten after noon, she knew Haley would arrive any minute. After a faint sigh, she dropped the mobile back into her pocket. She glanced to her right and saw the tack board where people would post updates, things for sale, and other various announcements.

Slowly, she turned her head back to the left and just then Haley came inside, her bright blond curly hair flying behind her. Katia instantly smiled at her friend.

Haley laughed some after she stepped through the heavy glass doors. "Hey, babe." She quickly pulled her friend into a warm hug. "How are you?" she whispered in Katia's area.

Katia smiled in the middle of the hug. "Good." She pulled back and her smile dropped some. "How about you?"

"Wonderful." Haley was grinning as she released her friend. "That cop of yours sure has made things fun for me."

Katia faintly cringed at the mention of the trooper's ticket from the party. "Yeah... sorry about that."

Haley laughed and threw her arm around her friend's shoulders. "Not to worry, babe." She led her friend into the main hall of the cafeteria where they were instantly hit by the smell of turkey and mash potatoes. "Must be Thanksgiving training."

Katia crinkled up her nose when she took in the scent as well. "I think so," she quietly agreed then got into the line and picked up a maroon tray and a plate. In the corner of her eye, she saw Haley following her lead.

"I'm sorry I took a bit, babe," started Haley, "but the professor was going on and on." She rolled her brown eyes. "It was so uncool."

Katia giggled some but she was busy getting some of the turkey then some sweet potatoes that were mashed.

"Babe... you're like not going to eat that?" Haley pointed at the orange potatoes. She then grabbed the fork to get the turkey.

"Yes, I am," stated Katia, she mocked glared then quickly went down the line.

Haley shivered just at the thought of eating southern sweet potatoes. She grabbed her tray and hurried after her friend to the dessert bar. She too grabbed a small plate that contained a slice of pumpkin pie like Katia had a second ago.

Together, the friends went to the cashier where they scanned their college ID cards. After they were checked out, they went straight ahead into the main dining hall and found a small table in a corner area. Haley had been the one to pick it out.

Once the two friends were settled down in their chairs, did they quietly start to eat at first. It wasn't until about five or six minutes into the meal that Haley finally broke the silence. "So how have things been?"

"Pretty good," remarked Katia, "No complaints."

Haley's expression suddenly fell into disbelief. "That's not what I've heard," she retorted.

Katia quickly looked up from her sweet potatoes. "What'd you hear?"

"Come on, girl." Haley shook her head and scooped up some of her potatoes. "Like who's my connection in the gang?"

"Sara," grumbled Katia, "I know."

"Exactly." Haley grinned and took in a mouth full of the mashed potatoes.

Katia was busy shaking her head as she tried to figure out what Sara would have told her. "What was it?"

"What was what?" asked Haley.

Katia's shoulders dropped. "What did Sara tell you?" She then glared when Haley just smirked at her.

"Like what didn't she tell me?" Haley laughed and went back to eating.

Katia however became a little frustrated but she knew her friend. She knew Haley could only hold out for so long. Haley would give into her if not lecture her, she grinned at thought.

"So what's up with you and this hot cop, huh?"

Katia groaned louder than she meant to and she prayed nobody was looking at her. She slowly lifted her intense green eyes to lock on Haley. "Nothing is up."

"What? You two aren't together yet?"

"Haley," drew out Katia, "I'm straight, remember?" She grabbed her fork and started to cut her turkey slice while saying, "Besides, I'm dating Bobby."

"Honey...." Haley reached over and gently rested her hand on one of Katia's. "It's okay to be bi too." Haley's sudden grin made Katia growl in frustration at hearing this same comment again.

"I'm not bi either," she hissed. "You and Sara... Erin too, need to just quit."

"Sorry, babe... we got plans for you." Haley pulled her hand away. "Even Mikie."

"Plans? What?" Katia suddenly put her utensils down and found herself a mix of confused and annoyed. "What you mean... plans?"

Haley wiggled a little uneasily in her chair and tried to hastily come up with a response, a good one. She kept a serious expression as her mind whizzed with ideas to say. She chewed on her lower lip then looked at Katia rather seriously. "Katia, we just don't think that... well Bobby is the one."

"And what? Ashley is?" almost snapped Katia. She was growing tired of the constant bantering she was getting from her friends about her and Ashley.

"No, no." Haley held up her hands in defence. "We just don't think Bobby is it."

"And I don't plan on marrying him," countered Katia. "If that's what ya'll are so worried about."

Haley inwardly grumbled at how this was going, not in the direction she wanted. "It's not that." She sighed and tried to rethink the best way to phrase this to her friend. "I'm just concerned Bobby might hurt you, Katia."

"What?" Katia almost wanted to laugh but a fear tugged in the back of her mind. "He's not going to do anything. He's fine... I'm fine, we're fine."

Haley bit her lower lip then quietly said, "Maybe you're fine and the relationship is... for now."

"For now?" Katia felt a little worried now. "What's that mean? Have you heard things?"

Haley reached up and brushed back several strands of curly blond hair. "There's a lot of things flying on the G. Yah know, sweetie?"

"Things?" repeated Katia, her eyes narrowed. "Like what?" She leaned forward in her chair. "Name some things."

Haley knew this was going nowhere and if she said anything wrong, her friend would most likely explode. "They say he deals with drugs, Katia." Her eyes flickered up to two guys that passed by their tables, when they left she looked at Katia again. "You know the date rape drug? Roofies?" She saw Katia faintly nod her head. "Supposedly he sells that stuff on campus."

"Bobby wouldn't," protested Katia, "he doesn't even...."

"Katia...." Haley reached over and again took her friend's hand. "They're just rumours, honestly and you know how rumours go. Suddenly his morning aspirin is the date rape." She shrugged then added, "But where there's smoke... there's fire."

Katia tried to swallow that lump in her throat but she couldn't and she couldn't suppress her fears. She gradually leaned back into her seat but she refused to completely believe the rumours. There had to be more, much more to it. "When did you hear this?" she whispered.

"At that party," quietly replied Haley, "Shanarah and I had been talking to a friend of ours." She too leaned back into her seat.

Katia was staring down at her food and she realized she really didn't feel like eating it now. Her stomach turned but she peered over at Haley once more. "Have you heard whether he uses it at all?"

"I don't know," confessed Haley. "I just heard he might be dealing it." She felt her guilt come over her for starting this. She hadn't meant to tell Katia anything about the rumours. She'd just hoped she could have urged Katia to rethink the relationship. Well she was certain now she had Katia rethinking the relationship and a few other things as well.

Katia slumped in her chair some as she felt rather torn. She felt rather half and half, she believed her friend but they were just rumours. Yet between the kiss she'd last had with Bobby and some strange reminder he gave her, she couldn't shake her fears. There was something she was missing and she wasn't sure what.

"Look, babe." Haley sat forward again. "Just... maybe talk to him and see how he reacts. Maybe you'll be able to decide for yourself." She then sighed and whispered, "Just be careful, above all."

"I will," promised Katia.

Haley in part didn't believe the promise because she knew how Katia never cared for herself. That was why she and the rest of Katia's friends had made it their mission to look after Katia. Some kind of hidden pact between the circle of friends. And right now, Haley wanted to keep her friend's mind off the problems with Bobby. She eased a smile onto her lips and asked, "You went on a double-date, right?"

Katia caught the faint teasing tone and she couldn't help but smile too. "Yeah, we did."

Haley picked up her fork and decided to finish her meal in hopes it'd get Katia to eat again. "How was it?"

Katia chuckled and stared down at her food. "Good... really good." She felt a little calmer and her little lion in her stomach growled at her. She decided to just maybe try the sweet potatoes again. "I met Ashley's girlfriend too."

Haley stopped midway of bringing up a fork full of mashed potatoes. "Far out." She laughed and put the fork into her mouth.

"No it wasn't," protested Katia. She bitterly huffed while she stirred her sweet potatoes around with her fork. "She was a total bitch."

Haley's mouth suddenly hung open and her friend giggled at her white mouth. She suddenly shut her mouth and hissed, "Katia Danforth."

"What?" protested Katia. She shrugged then shovelled up a helping of sweet potatoes. "She was and Ashley knows it."

"Wait," protested Haley, "if she knows it then why is she dating this chic?"

"I don't know," grumbled Katia. "It's like... she's waiting for something better to come along."

Haley was so quick to reply to that but she stopped the comment just in the nick of time. She quickly put her attention into cutting up the turkey. "You think that's it?" She grinned and said, "Maybe she likes torturing herself."

Katia couldn't help but snicker. "I think so too." She ate some of her turkey then after she swallowed the meat down, she glanced at her friend. "But she's here today and tomorrow." She shook her head. "Laurel just dropped in really randomly too."

"Probably to check up on Ashley." Haley suddenly smirked. "You're playing in Laurel's territory, babe... I'm telling you."

Katia snickered and pushed her turkey into the sweet potatoes some to coat the meat. "Maybe then Laurel will appreciate Ashley more."

"You think it's that bad?" questioned Haley. "Between them?"

Katia just shrugged. "I'm not sure." She lifted her sweet potato covered turkey and thoughtfully chewed on it. She dropped her head to one side and said, "But I know I would not treat Ashley like that if I dated her." She huffed.

Haley bit back her grin and kept her face down as she pierced a few pieces of turkey. "You should talk to her. Yah know, babe?" She put the turkey into her mouth and after she ate it, she added, "Maybe you can convince her to leave Laurel... find somebody better."

"Yeah right." Katia grumbled some then explained, "We already got into a fight about that."

"Honey, that's the problem right there." Haley shook her head and her long locks shook with her head. "You have to talk to her... not fight with her." She returned her focus to the meal. "If you tell her she needs a new girlfriend, she'll whine and protest. But if you just talk to her and get her to see how bad things are or how better they can be...." She grinned as she lifted her head. "Then you can get her to rethink the relationship."

"Then maybe get her to break-up," concluded Katia.

"You got it, babe," agreed Haley. She grinned before stuffing the turkey into her mouth.

"You think that would really work?" mused aloud Katia.

Haley almost choked on her food at the question. She quickly swallowed her food and said, "Katia, she listens to you and believes everything you say. You can convince her." She slowly felt a grin pull at her lips. "Even though she gave me a fine and she should rot in a bad relationship, I know it's not right."

Katia giggled at Haley's joke. "Yeah well she felt bad about that fine."

"Yeah sure and I'm like the goddess of love, babe," joked Haley. She pointed her fork at Katia. "She loved giving me that fine; I saw her smirk with my own eyes."

Katia sensed her own smirk pulling at her lips. "Yeah... I think you're right."

"Babe, I know I'm so right." Haley grinned when Katia chuckled at her. She and Katia continued to talk about Ashley more. Haley couldn't help but grin from ear to ear at how Katia's eyes lit up every time she said Ashley's name. Haley felt so warm at all the love Katia had for Ashley but she was also frustrated. She'd play match maker for all her life and she'd never had a harder time with matching than with this pair but she wouldn't fail them yet.

Eventually the friends finished their lunch and strolled outside of the cafeteria building and stood outside. They both hugged and Haley thanked her friend for the lunch date. As Haley went her way, Katia went her own way back to her dorm to get her books for the next class. And as she thought about Ashley and Bobby, she quickly realized she hadn't asked Ashley if she could stop by to introduce Bobby to her. Katia quickly reached into her left chest pocket and pulled out her cell phone. She brought up Ashley's number and pushed the Send button.

"Hey," greeted Katia. "Oh nothing much... getting ready to head to my next class." She smiled. "Yeah. How are you?" She faintly nodded her head but she lost her smile at Ashley's worn voice. "You have tomorrow off, right?" Slowly her head bobbed a few times. "That's what I thought." She looked up from the moving ground and studied the dorms coming into view. "No, no... I just wanted to see if you'd be home around six maybe six-thirty tonight?"

Katia slowly felt a small smile tug at her lips. "Yeah I just wanted to see if you'd like to meet Bobby. He's interested in meeting you." Her smile shaped into a grin. "Yeah right. He said the same thing about the party." She lost her grin and went more serious. "Okay, thanks... we should stop by around there."

As Katia's eyes focused on her dorm, she noted Sara sitting on the step with a cigarette. She waved to her friend and got one back. "Oh yeah, I called my folks last night actually. And guess what?" She slowly approached the steps of the dorm and she grinned at Sara. "They're not planning on anything... so I can come with you."

Sara lowered her cigarette from her lips and furrowed her eyebrows. Go with you? thought Sara in curiosity. Go with who? but Sara quickly figured out who when she realized just how happy Katia was acting.

"Okay. I can't wait. I haven't been to Rehoboth in years." Katia suddenly laughed and she jumped up onto one step and sort of hung off of it with the front of her feet. "Yes, show me around." She grinned some but it faintly disappeared. "Alright, Ash. I'll see you this evening then." She chuckled and nodded her head. "Okay... see you then. Bye."

"See you tonight?" teased Sara. She let the smoke filter between out of her mouth and she stood up. "You got a date with Aaaaashley?" she teased while throwing her cigarette butt into the butt tray on the bottom step.

"Yeah right... I have date with Bobby." Katia pointed the tip of her cell phone at her friend. "Thank you very much." She jumped over the three other steps and headed for the door.

"You sure act happier about the visit with Ashley than the date with Bobby," she loudly joked while she followed in her friend into the dorm.

"Whatever!" called Katia as she turned to the left and went into the stairwell.

Sara smirked but followed after her friend to go to the dorm room.

Erin lowered the book and put it on her stomach as she rested in her bed. She grinned at her roommate and girlfriend when they came into the room. "How are you, Katia?"

"Not bad." Katia went to her desk and went through her books until she got out her books for her next class then the bay class. "You'll be in class this afternoon?"

"Definitely." Erin then smiled up at her girlfriend when she sat on the edge of the bed.

Katia put her books into her book bag then slung her bag over her back. "I'll see you there." She went to the door and looked over at her friends. "Don't do anything on my bed either," she teased.

Sara smirked and said, "Oh don't worry."

Katia just rolled her eyes at her friend then left. "See yah!"

"Bye, Katia," called back Erin. When the door closed, she reached up with her right hand and her fingertips pressed under Sara's chin. "Hear anything yet?"

Sara softly smiled and started to lean down at Erin's command. "No," she whispered and her lips came closer to Erin's. "Hale will call... I'm sure."

"She will," softly agreed Erin. She then lifted her head and pressed her lips against her girlfriend's. She smiled into the kiss as Sara softly moaned and urged the kiss deeper.

It wasn't long though before Katia made it out of her class and was headed to the science building for her bay class with Erin and Bobby. When she entered the huge lecture hall, she went down a few steps and went down the long table that had one chair after the next connected to it. She plopped down into her usual spot and within a few seconds Erin appeared beside her.

"How was the sex?" quietly joked Katia.

Erin's eyes widened and she looked at Katia in surprise. "Katia," she hissed, "I cannot believe you."

Katia smirked and couldn't help her smug look. "Sorry... you and Sara have taught me well."

"Mikie too," chided the roommate. She pulled out her books and dropped them on the table. "And no, Sara and I haven't done anything."

"Aaanything?" repeated Katia.

"Beside the typical... playing around," lightly used Erin, "we haven't." She then suddenly glared at her roommate. "Why am I even discussing this with you?"

Katia laughed and leaned back into her chair. "Because you want to."

Erin's shoulders seemed to deflate. "You're right." She giggled with her roommate and leaned back into her chair as well.

It wasn't long before the professor began class and both Katia and Erin had noticed Bobby hadn't shown up yet. Not until about fifteen minutes into the lecture did Bobby and two other boys crept into the hall and went to their seats. Katia peered up at her boyfriend as he slipped down the aisle to his seat.

Bobby just shrugged at his girlfriend's questioning look. He then took his seat and opened his notebook.

"What's that about?" muttered Erin.

"I don't know," whispered Katia.

"You know who those guys were that he came in with?"

Katia didn't know them so she just shrugged. "Not really." She returned her focus to her note taking.

Erin just let it go and remained quiet throughout the rest of the lecture. She couldn't help but wonder what was going on with Bobby. She too had heard the rumours from Haley and Shanarah, and like Haley she was rather concerned for Katia's safety. She knew Katia had been into trouble months back and this was no time to repeat them. She was fearful for Katia.

The lecture seemed to drag out longer than normal and maybe because it was Friday. Every student and even the professor were itching to go and begin their weekend. And to many of the students' surprise, the professor let the class out early, about twenty minutes early at that.

As soon as Katia and Erin were outside of the science building, Bobby joined them and smiled at them. "How are you, Katia?"

Katia softly smiled at him and shifted closer to him. "I'm good. You?"

"Excellent." Bobby grinned and reached to take his girlfriend's hand. "Ready for tonight?"

Katia grinned but shook her head. "Not yet."

Bobby winked and squeezed her hand. He started down the steps with Katia to his left and Erin on his right. "How are you, Erin?"

"I'm good... real good." Erin smiled but it was rather fake, it was about all she good mustard for this guy. "How about you?"

"I'm great... ready for this weekend." Bobby grinned then winked at Katia's roommate.

"So you two are going out to dinner?" probed Erin.

"Yeah," replied Katia from the other side. "Oh and we're going to stop by Ashley's place."

Bobby quickly turned his head to Katia.

Erin almost wanted to laugh at Bobby's surprise expression but she just stopped herself.

"We are?" Bobby then suddenly smiled when he realized he'd asked Katia about it not long ago. "She's okay with it?"

"Oh yeah," replied Katia. "I told her we'd just stop, say hi, then run... I told her we're on a date."

Bobby nodded his approval and squeezed Katia's hand a little. "Great. I can't wait to meet her."

Katia smiled but more at the fact she'd see Ashley. But on the inside, her stomach turned with worry about how Ashley would take to Bobby. She could only imagine how the state trooper would react if she ever found out the rumours about Bobby. She had no intentions of ever telling Ashley.

It wasn't long before the group made it back to the Severn dorm and everybody went their separate way. Katia wasn’t the only one on a date that night; her roommate as well had a date with her girlfriend. So both Katia and Erin fussed over who got the shower first then hurried to change into their clothes. Right around the same time they finished together and decided to leave together. They both knew that Sara and Bobby’s dorms were next door to each other so they decided to stick together.

“Looking forward to tonight?” quietly asked Erin.

Katia warmly smiled at her roommate. “Yeah… I think so.” She shifted a little closer to Erin while folding her arms tightly against her body. “How you think dinner will be with Sara?”

Erin gradually raised an eyebrow and muttered, “I’m more worried about… dessert.”

Katia couldn’t help but laugh yet she knew her roommate was also serious. As she thought about it, she started to sigh. “I know how you feel.”

Erin didn’t look at her roommate and instead stared at the ground passing under her feet. She was concerned about Katia and wasn’t sure how to approach this topic without giving anything away to her friend. “You think anything will happen?” She lifted her head and studied Katia.

Katia shrugged. “Nothing that I don’t want.” She then saw worry hiding deep in her roommate’s amber eyes. She tried to smile to help her friend in reassurance. “It’ll be a nice evening out, I think.”

“Good.” Erin smiled some too but she felt a little unsure. When she looked ahead, she saw that the dorms were just in front of them. She came to a stop in front of Sara’s dorm and she turned to Katia. “Have a good night, okay?”

“I will.” Katia stepped over and hugged her roommate.

Erin tightly squeezed her friend back and when she pulled away, she smiled.

Katia smiled back but started to step away, towards Bobby’s dorm. “See you either tonight or tomorrow.”

“You got it.” Erin grinned and waved. “Bye!” She called right before going into Erin’s dorm.

Katia chuckled and hurried into the guy’s dorm where Bobby lived.

Bobby turned around when he heard the knock at his door. “Come in,” he called. He felt a smile pull at his lips when his girlfriend came into the room. "Hey."

Katia smiled back. "Hey," she whispered back and closed the door. "You about ready?"

Bobby finished buttoning his black shirt as he said, "Yeah, just about." He stepped into his closest and with his right foot, he pulled out his boots. "How about we take your car? Since you know where Ashley's lives better than me."

"Yeah sure," agreed Katia. "We're still going to Waterman's Cove?"

Bobby picked up his boots and walked over to his bed. He sat down then finally replied, "Yeah. I think you'll like it."

"I love seafood," quietly agreed the young woman.

Bobby smiled at his girlfriend but he bent forward and laced his boots. After he was finished lacing his boots up, he stood and said, "Let's go."

Katia chuckled and grabbed the door to open it again. When her boyfriend joined her side, she stepped out and she heard Bobby lock and close the door.

The couple soon made it across campus to the student parking beside Severn dorm. They got in and drove to Ashley's place. The drive was rather quiet and seemed long but soon they arrived there. Katia was out of her car first and Bobby followed behind her. Katia knocked on the door then stepped back and waited. From the corner of her eye, she saw her boyfriend standing aside and glowing in the sunset light. She suddenly jumped when the door opened and there stood Ashley in a set of jeans and white blouse.

"Hey," quietly greeted Katia.

Ashley warmly smiled, rather happy to see her friend. She stepped out of the house as she asked, "How are you?"

"I'm good." Katia smiled and tilted her head to one side. "How about you?"

"I'm good too." The trooper chuckled and she admired what her friend was wearing. The tight dark jeans, deep red button-up top and grey jacket really suited Katia. She forced herself to stop staring and looked at Bobby. "Hi."

Bobby suddenly smiled and joined the two women. "Hi, Ashley." As he came closer, he pulled his right hand from his black jacket and held it out to the larger woman.

Ashley straightened up to her full six feet and took the smaller hand.

Katia cleared her throat and said, "Bobby, this is Sergeant Ashley Carver." She saw Bobby nod then she looked up at her best friend. "And that's Bobby Fluehr."

Ashley briskly nodded then released the young man's hand after a strong hand shake. "You go to Salisbury too?"

"Yes, ma'am," replied Bobby. He rocked on the bottom of his feet in a nervous gesture. "I'm a sophomore."

"You're from Calvert County if I remember right," mused Ashley aloud.

"Yes," replied Bobby.

"You know," cut in Katia, "I don’t know why I surround myself with western shore people."

Ashley partially grinned as she looked at her best friend. "I'm originally from the Eastern Shore."

Katia furrowed her eyebrows. "Yeah?"

"Uh huh," answered Ashley in an amused tone.

"Oh," whispered Katia and she quietly laughed.

"How long you been a cop for?" interrupted Bobby.

Ashley returned her focus to Bobby but her expression hardened again. "About four years."

"And you're a sergeant?"

"First sergeant," corrected the state trooper.

"Oh sorry," muttered Katia.

Ashley had an amused grin but she nodded. "It's okay."

"You must be good," stated Bobby.

Ashley's grin suddenly grew more devilish. "Yes, I am good at what I do."

Katia huffed and teased, "Good at handing out speeding tickets."

"My favourite thing to do," joked the officer.

Bobby even laughed with them.

Ashley went a little serious and returned her attention to Bobby again. "You must work out?"

"I do," agreed Bobby, "I use to be on the wrestling team at my high school. So I'm still into weight lifting."

Ashley nodded a few times and she folded her arms over her chest. "You go to a local gym?"

"Oh yeah," answered Bobby. "I don't touch the University stuff."

Ashley's head dropped to one side. "Which gym is that?"

"Powerhouse Gym… its right on Cypress Street in Salisbury."

"Okay, I think I know the one." Ashley thought about it for a moment then said, "I was considering that one and Plus One Fitness."

"Yeah that one isn't bad either," agreed Bobby. "Powerhouse has more weight lifting if you're into that more."

"I'm pretty even," stated the officer. "But I do need to sign up to one soon here."

"Let me know if you do," cut in Katia, "I'd like to join up with one too."

"Yeah?" Ashley peered down at her best friend. "We'll have to look into them together then."

"I'd like that," agreed the younger woman.

Ashley smiled some but then looked at Bobby again. "You take anything for the weight lifting?"

Bobby's expression went into a little bit of surprise. "You mean as in steroids?" He quickly shook his head. "No, this is all natural."

"That's good then," complimented the state trooper.

"Yeah… I'm a straight shooter," persisted the young man, "I don't touch any drugs stuff… well except for aspirin."

Ashley grinned but her eyes were rather stern and curious. "How long have you two been together?"

Katia furrowed her eyebrows and inquisitively looked at her boyfriend. "Two weeks?"

"Something like that, "agreed Bobby.

"Hmmmm." Ashley shifted her weight to her left some and a devilish grin pulled at her lips. "Well, before you two get anymore… serious I'll have to do a full investigation of your background, Bobby."

Katia's eyes suddenly widened in shock.

Bobby stopped breathing when the state trooper said that.

Ashley then laughed and the two college students laughed with her.

Bobby calmed down then said, "I thought you were serious."

Ashley was shaking her head then dryly said, "I am."

Bobby's expression dropped but he relaxed when Ashley smirked at him.

Katia pushed at her friend's side. "Stop giving him a hard time."

"He can handle it," reassured the officer. And when she looked back at Bobby she roughly smiled at him but her eyes held a lot of warning in them.

Bobby swallowed and looked at Katia because he couldn't handle looking at the protective cop. "You hungry, baby?"

Katia tried to taste the nickname Bobby just gave her and when she swallowed it, it hurt. "Yeah I'm hungry." She then peered up at her best friend. "You have plans tonight?"

"Yeah, Laurel and I might be going out. I'm not sure yet," confessed the older woman.

"She's headed out tomorrow?"

"Yes, in the morning." Ashley then raised an eyebrow at Katia as a reminder for Sunday.

Katia nodded her head a few times in silently acknowledgement. "Okay." She then looked at Bobby. "Ready to go?"

"I think so," quickly agreed Bobby. "I'm gonna head to the car." He stepped back.

"I'll be there in a minute."

Bobby nodded but looked at Ashley. "Nice meeting you, Ashley."

"You too, Bobby." Ashley somewhat smiled and watched him go. She then looked down at her best friend. "Where you two headed for dinner?"

"Waterman's Cove," replied Katia. "It's suppose to be nice."

"Mmmm it is," agreed the older woman. She then reached up and straightened out Katia's jacket collar. "So are you."

Katia blushed some and dropped her head forward. "Thank you." She then smiled up at Ashley.

Ashley mirrored the smiled back but she lost it when Katia went serious on her.

"Were you serious about investigating him?"

Ashley slipped her hands into her jean pockets and decided how to answer that question. "I might."

"Ash, don't," protested the college student.

The state trooper shrugged and said, "It's my job."

"And I'm asking you not to," stated the younger woman. She mocked Ashley's raised eyebrow routine and received a chuckle for her efforts. "I'm serious though. He's fine and that's kinda on the border of being over protective."

Ashley chuckled and said, "Well somebody needs to watch your ass."

"Thanks," deadpanned Katia.

Ashley though saw how serious her friend was and she let out a heavy sigh. "Alright, I'll leave it alone but I can't promise I will forever."

"You are stubborn."

"I know." Ashley grinned.

Katia couldn't help but laugh a little. She shook her head while sighing heavily.

"It's because I love you," whispered the state trooper.

Slowly Katia peered up into concern blue eyes. "I know," she quietly stated. "And I do appreciate it."

"Good then its settled."

Katia grumbled and shook her head as she took a step away. "I'm not even going to fight you."

"I don't even get a hug before you go?" Ashley raised a questioning eyebrow.

Katia chuckled and stepped back. She threw her arms around her best friend then she felt long arms snake around her and pulled her in tightly. "Have a good night tonight."

Ashley tightly squeezed back and whispered, “You too.” She then released her friend.

Katia smiled and said, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Good.” Ashley walked away but turned around when she came to her door. “Bye, K.”

“See yah, Ash.” Katia gave a quick smile then rushed off to her car.

Ashley briefly watched her but then she knew it was best to get into the house. She too had a date with her partner.

***

Katia stood on the bottom step of her dorm and was looking directly at Bobby.

“You’re not?” persisted Bobby.

Katia took a deep breath and repeated herself. “No, I’m really tired.”

Bobby sighed but with frustration, he put his hands on his hips and stared at the dorm behind Katia. “If you’re not ready now then when?”

Katia felt her own frustration starting but she tried to remain calm. She grasped her boyfriend’s shoulders. “When it feels right.”

Bobby dropped his gaze from Katia and stared at the ground under him. His hands fell from his side then he looked up again. “We’ll wait then.”

Katia was suddenly taken back by the support and the warm smile on Bobby’s face. She hadn’t expected it and in some part, it kind of scared her.

Bobby stepped closer and leaned his head in to capture Katia's lips.

Katia grasped Bobby's shoulders tighter as she lost the control in the rough kiss. She tried to enjoy it, tried to respond to it but too many fearful emotions sparked in her. When he pulled back from the kiss, she urged a smile to take her lips but it wasn't very strong.

"I'll see you tomorrow some time," he quietly promised.

"Okay," murmured the young woman. "Sleep well tonight."

"I will… you too."

Katia watched him step away to leave but she called out, "Thank you for dinner."

"Anytime, baby," called back Bobby. He turned his head sidelong and flashed a smile at her.

Katia suddenly stiffened up when he gave her that sneering smile. When his head turned away, she called out, "Bye!"

Bobby just waved before disappearing ahead.

Katia shivered and crossed her arms over her chest. She was enjoying the kisses less and less as they brought some kind of reminder to her, almost like a deja-vu. However Katia couldn't remember when she'd had such a kiss. And only memories of the night before she ran away brought her some insight. For some reason, Bobby's kisses took her back to that night at the party but she knew she couldn't remember anything between the party to when she ended up at her dorm.

Katia lifted her right hand and turned it over so she could look at her palm. With her left fingertips, she traced the odd scar in her right palm. She knew the scar was created from something sharp, possibly a knife but Katia didn't own a knife or ever used one often. It wasn't until after that party did she realize she'd been cut somehow along with many other small cuts and bruises throughout her body.

Slowly the memories faded out and Katia stopped letting her mind think about it. She glanced in the direction that Bobby had gone but she forced her body to take her into the dorm. When she entered the bedroom, she found Erin and Sara laying in each other's arms and sleeping. It made a smile tug at Katia's lips. She completely admired the relationship the two young women had and for some reason, it made her sad.

Quietly, Katia got ready for bed and slipped under her covers. It took her a good two hours to finally sleep, one too many thoughts on her mind.

***

Katia walked back into the open garage of Ashley's house. She scanned the middle shelf where all the car cleaning supplies rested. With her hands on her hips, she tried to find what she as looking for to dry her car.

It was Sunday today and in the late morning. For about two hours, Katia had been at Ashley's house and taken Ashley's offer to clean her car. She'd already cleaned and vacuumed the inside and now she just finished cleaning the outside. Now she was planning to dry it down with a shammie then put on a layer of rain-x wax.

Ashley's two shelves worth of cleaning products was rather impressive and Katia quickly figured just how much that red Mercedes meant to Ashley. Katia had to respect Ashley for going through all this trouble for one car. In part, Katia felt rather bad for not caring for her own car and now she'd make a point of following Ashley's example.

Katia finally found the tube that held the shammie and she pulled it out. When she made it back to her car just outside the garage, she saw a golden four-door Chevy Blazer pull into Ashley's drive. Katia stopped walking when she came beside her driver's door.

The driver of the Blazer stopped her car and jumped out. "Excuse me," called an older woman.

"Can I help you?" asked Katia. She approached the woman.

"I'm sorry to just pull into your drive," started the woman, "but I'm looking for my dog."

"Oh… what does he look like?" urged Katia.

The woman reached up to brush back her ragged blond hair. "He's a miniature black pincher. He got off his line and it's happen before. The last time he did this, he came in this area." She then pointed off to her left and said, "I'm from Mardela Springs."

Katia sighed and shook her head. "I haven't seen him through here at all."

"Okay… well I've been up and down this road five times already." The woman started back for her open driver's door. "Let me know if you see him."

Before Katia could respond, the woman jumped into her car and back out onto Sharptown Road and drove off. Katia stood there a little baffled by how quickly the woman spoke and moved but she shrugged it off. She decided to start drying her car. Katia started at the driver's side and went down the side, across the trunk, and back around onto the passenger side.

As Katia dried the front of the car, she watched the traffic drive by on the road. There were more cars than usual but she figured it was because it was a weekend. But then again, she knew Sharptown Road was also Route 313 and could at times be heavily travelled.

Katia leaned forward and wiped the shammie across the wet hood but as she did it, she peered through her font window and right through to the rear window. She furrowed her eyebrows when she saw a black object on the opposite side of the road dart across the road.

Katia's eyes widened and she looked to her right as a speeding blue mini-van went flying down the road. Suddenly there was a loud smack and a yelp from an animal. The mini-van hastily slowed down and pulled off to the side of the road.

"Oh god no," whispered Katia. She straightened up and left the shammie on the hood of her car. She came around her car and saw a black dog lying on the south bound lane. She quickly ran down the driveway and realized more cars were coming and about to run this dog down more.

Katia jumped in front of the dog and held up her hands at the cars to try and stop them. She sucked in her breath as the silver Lincoln Towncar came at her but started to slow down. She felt her knees go weak when the grill of the Lincoln almost touched her knees. She felt relieved when the Lincoln managed to back up about twenty feet and give her more room.

Katia knelt down in front of the dog and she instantly knew the dog was dead. She put her hand against his chest and didn't feel it move at all. His eyes were closed and his tongue hanging out from his open mouth. "Oh god," she whispered and she knew she had to get off the road. Katia urged her strength to come through as she slipped her arms under the small dog and lifted him up. She walked onto the shoulder and lowered him into the grass just off the shoulder.

"Oh god, I am so sorry," cried out a woman.

Katia rose up when the woman from the mini-van approached her. She then noted that the neighbours from across the road had come out to see what the commotion was about.

"What happened?" asked the neighbour as she rushed crossed the road.

"The dog has been hit," replied Katia.

The two neighbours, husband and wife, joined Katia's side and stared at the dog.

"He's dead?" inquired the husband.

"Yeah," quietly replied Katia.

The wife, however, glanced over at the woman that had struck the dog. The woman was just standing there, her face covered by her hands, and her eyes locked on the dead dog. "Oh it's okay, miss," assured the wife. She came over to her and grasped the woman's arm. "It was an accident."

"Oh god," whimpered the woman. "I didn't even see him; he just… came out of nowhere."

Katia looked at the woman.

"I'm so sorry," apologized the woman to Katia.

"He's not my dog," clarified Katia, "but I think I know who is."

The neighbour suddenly cut back into the conversation. "Come to my house, miss. You shouldn't drive when you're this upset."

The woman now started to cry at the mention of driving.

The wife pulled at the woman's shoulder. "Come to my house and have some tea." She was able to get the woman to agree and she started back across the road.

The husband though came closer to Katia's side. "He's going to need to be covered or something." He gestured at the black dog. "And buried before…." He trailed off when he saw the distraught look on the younger woman's face. "I can take care of… him."

"No, no… its okay," reassured Katia. "I… I can handle it."

The husband nodded and quietly said, "If you need help…."

"Thank you," whispered Katia and she tried to smile at the man but it didn't work.

The husband gently touched Katia's back for a moment then turned to leave. When the traffic cleared, he walked back to his house.

Katia slowly turned around and stared at the spot where the pincher was struck. Then her eyes focused on two sets of collars. One collar was a regular black clip-collar with a design and the other was a choker. Katia looked to her right and saw the next car was far away. She walked onto the road and scooped up the two collars then placed them beside the dead dog. Now she wasn't so sure where to begin to take care of this dog.

First she decided it was best to cover the dog somehow, there were flies already starting to buzz around the body. So Katia went back to Ashley's house and went inside with her set of keys. She decided to use a bag and she lucky enough to find thick black bags under the kitchen sink. Hurrying back outside, Katia arrived back at the dog's side and she started to put the body into the bag. She felt her stomach pitch as she touched the cooling body but she forced herself to ignore it and take care of this dog.

Katia then knew it wasn't best to leave the bag here by the road so she lifted him up along with the collars on top. She slowly walked up the driveway and went to the right of the house, on the side of the garage. She carefully bent forward and lowered the body into a shady spot next to the side of the garage.

Katia fell to her knees and stared at the bag and the shape the bag made around the body. With her right hand, she picked up the collars and studied them but not finding any type of identification on them. She sighed when she realized it was going to be very hard to find this owner.

But it was as if somebody read her thoughts because as soon as she stood up and turned, she saw the golden Blazer roaring down 313 headed north. Katia suddenly ran down to the road and tried to wave down the Blazer. Her idea seemed to work, the Blazer pulled off onto the opposite side of the road and out stepped not a woman but a man.

"Have you seen my pincher?" called the man from across the road. He waited until the road was clear then crossed over to Katia.

Katia approached the man and tried to mentally prepare herself for this. "Yes, sir."

"Is he dead?" urged the man, his cigar between his lips bobbing from his lips moving. He was in his forties or so and had shaggy hair that only partially covered his head. His clothes were dirty and torn, his white shirt no long pure white but scuffed with grease.

"Yes he is," replied Katia. "I have his body…." She trailed off, not really sure how to handle the situation.

The owner took a step away, towards the road again. "Can you burry him for me?"

Katia's mouth opened, closed then opened again; she felt her knees weak. "Yes, I can."

"Burry him." The owner then suddenly turned away, his eyes started to sting but he went across the road to his car.

Katia just stood there in shock. Her mind couldn't process the events fast enough to understand everything.

"Burry him with his collars!" yelled the owner from across the road.

Katia nodded her head and watched him get into his car and drive off. When he was out of sight, Katia turned and looked at the black bag on the ground beside the garage. Her gaze then drifted down to the two collars resting on top of a bed of brown leaves. After a deep swallow, she walked to the open garage door and stepped onto the concrete pad. She scanned the garage for a wheelbarrow and shovel but she found none. Then it occurred to her that Ashley had a shed out back so she went into the backyard through the small space between the garage and the line of cypress trees that separated Ashley's yard from the neighbours.

Out in the shed, Katia found a black wheelbarrow and she pulled out two shovels that now rested in the bed of the wheelbarrow. Katia made her way back to the black bag and lifted the dog then settled him into the bed next to the shovels. The last thing she retrieved was the set of collars and she slipped them into her right jean pockets. Very slowly, Katia pushed the wheelbarrow into the backyard and down towards the forest at the end of the yard. Within five minutes, she'd find a secluded shady spot under one of the many trees to burry the pincher.

***

Ashley pulled into her driveway and earlier when she was driving towards her house, she'd seen Katia's car. But as she turned onto the driveway, she became curious as to Katia's whereabouts since she wasn't outside with the car. She reached up and pushed the middle button on her garage door opener and she waited for the door to open. She pulled into her spot and turned the engine off.

Once again, she pushed the garage button and the door started to cycle back down. Before Ashley got out, she glanced at the clock and saw that it was two-thirty in the afternoon. She quickly got out and locked her door with the SmartKey. Ashley then walked around the front of her car and went out the door that Katia had left open.

Slowly, the trooper approached Katia's 190E and she noted the shammie sitting on the hood. She furrowed her eyebrows and reached out to pick up the yellow shammie. She squeezed it a little and noted the water had pretty well dried up. She decided that Katia might be in the house and may have fallen asleep or something else. So the trooper walked to her font door and already found the door unlocked. She knew Katia must have gone in so she went inside to find everything quiet and perfect.

Ashley reached up and removed her hat; she gently placed it on the kitchen counter. She then strolled into the living room and gazed out her backyard sliding door. She thought she saw something so she stepped up to the glass door and studied her black wheelbarrow at the edge of the forest line. Ashley quickly unlatched the door and slid it open. Her long legs quickly carried her across the yard and to the forest.

The trooper stood beside her black wheelbarrow and peered into it to find nothing but when she lifted her head again, she heard two metal objects clank together. "Katia?" she called.

"Hey Ash… I'm… I'm over here."

Ashley walked into the woods and stepped over several fallen branches and through some variegated ivy. The ground was completely frosted with brown leaves and specks of green grass between the leaves. She saw Katia straight ahead and her back was to Ashley. She quietly came up beside her best friend and looked down. She knew Katia had been burying something between the shovels off to the right and the freshly unearthed ground. Gradually she turned her head to Katia. "What happened?" she whispered.

Katia's hands slipped off her hips and she now folded her arms over her chest. "Earlier today a dog… a pincher got hit."

Ashley stiffened at the news and her eyes lowered back to the grave. "Did you find the owner?"

"Yeah," whispered Katia, "both of them." She reached up and ran her right hand through her hair but stopped midway. "The guy asked me to burry his dog."

The officer faintly shook her head.

"So, I said I would… I couldn't say no." Katia tore her eyes away from the grave as her hand fell back to her side. She looked at Ashley. "What else could I have said?"

Ashley looked at her friend and saw she was rather upset, not enough to cry, but upset and confused. Her own shoulders slumped and she turned to Katia, her arms open.

Katia didn't hesitate to take the hug. She stepped into Ashley's arms and wrapped her small ones tightly around Ashley.

The state trooper pulled Katia in and held her. "You did the right thing," she whispered.

"I didn't know what to say," muttered Katia. "I don’t even know the pincher's name." She rested the side of her head against Ashley's chest. She stared through the woods and could just make out the black wheelbarrow. "I don't understand that." She lifted her head and peered up at her friend. "How can you just leave your dog with… a stranger and ask them to burry your dog for you?" She shook her head. "I can't understand that."

"Don't try to," urged Ashley.

Katia wasn't sure how to respond to that, instead she looked back down at the grave. She shifted out of Ashley's arms and knelt down at the foot of the grave. "I feel so bad for him."

Ashley sighed as she felt a bit of resentment for these people that left this weight on her friend's shoulders. She shifted a little and knelt down beside her friend. "I am sure he is happy he had somebody care for him." She looked at Katia and tried to give her a reassuring smile.

Katia nodded somewhat after accepting Ashley's words. She stared at the grave for awhile and never said anything, nor did Ashley. She licked her lips and quietly started to speak to Ashley but never looked at her, only the grave. "Remember when I ran away?" From the corner of her eye, she saw Ashley nod. "I was trying to escape my life… like it was possible." Her right hand drifted off her knee and lowered onto the edge of the grave. "This pincher was leashed up… couldn't be free then he found a way to be free. Ran away and tried to escape his life." She shook her head. "Look at what it got him." She bitterly chuckled and said, "It made me wonder why I didn't end up like him. Then I realized I would have if that guy had…." She couldn't think the words let alone breathe them but she urged herself to confront the truth. "I would have been raped and killed."

Ashley bit her lower lip but she let go of her lip and reached forward with her left hand and took Katia's into her own. "But you weren't," she quietly reminded.

Katia swallowed the developing lump and she felt her fear subside some when Ashley's hand curled around hers. "No I wasn't… thanks to you." Finally her gaze met Ashley's. "You saved me, you showed up out of nowhere at the exact moment my life would have ended. The exact time that I gave up and you… you stopped that. Since that time, I have accepted that there is such a thing as fate…." She turned her head down to the pincher's grave. "That things do happen for a reason."

Ashley studied her friend's profile for awhile.

"Despite everything… I'm still here, still trying to survive." Once more, Katia looked at her best friend. "My father is an alcoholic… Lisa is into drugs. Mom well… she only has her faith in God left and me….” Her eyes lowered for a moment then rose back up to Ashley. “I don’t know how it happened… or if I’m even sure it happened but….”

Ashley furrowed her eyebrows as she became confused. She tried to think of what drove Katia to runaway from college but too many possibilities had gone through her head. “What happened, Katia?”

Katia shook her head and stared at the ground that separated them. Slowly she looked up again and her eyes were becoming watery. “The weekend before I ran away… I think I was raped… or close to it. I… I….” She started to squeeze Ashley’s hand rather hard. “I went to a party alone one night and I remember being there, having a good time, and after awhile I started to feel kind of nauseous. After that, I don’t really recall anything.”

Ashley’s mind quickly filed through several answers and it came to a stop on one particular one. “Were you drinking?”

“Y-yes,” whispered Katia. She was trying to remain calm as her memories returned to her of that night.

“Was your drink ever out of your hands?” quietly asked the state trooper.

“No… never.” Katia used her freehand to try and wipe the distraught look off her face but it didn’t work. “And I only had one beer.”

Ashley felt stumped at the point but then she realized something else. “When you got the beer, was it open already?”

“I’m not sure,” admitted the younger woman. She was staring off in the distance and tried to recall whether it was or wasn’t.

“Try and remember,” urged the state trooper.

Katia closed her eyes and tried to replay the night in her head. She recalled coming into the party that was mostly full of guys but some other girls were there that she really didn’t know.

Ashley tilted her head to one side as she watched the emotions flicker across Katia’s face. She could almost read what Katia was seeing.

Katia’s mind continued to flash to her walking into the small house where the party was held. She came into a living room area where there was a table and it was loaded with beer bottles, beer cans, and some spirits at one end with shot glasses. Katia approached the table and her eyes studied each of the beers as she made up her mind to which to start with for the night. As she reached out to grab a Samuel Adams, somebody jumped at her side to greet her.

“Hey Katia,” greeted a young man.

Katia stopped in mid-motion and smiled at the young man. “Hey… do I know you?”

“You might,” replied the guy, “I’m in your bay class.”

“Oh yeah.” Katia chuckled and turned to him. “Great class huh?”

The guy gestured at Katia with his beer. “Oh yeah, the best.” He smiled then asked, “You want a beer?”

“Yeah, I was gonna grab a Samuel's.” She motioned to the group of beers.

“Wait, hold up….” He took a step back. “I’ll get you one out of the kitchen, they’re cold in the frig.” He gave a wide smile and added, “I’ll be right back.” He spun around and disappeared through a side doorway.

Katia shrugged and smiled at the attention she received from the guy. She tried to think if she’d seen him in her bay class or not but his face didn’t spark any reminders. She then jumped a little when he suddenly reappeared with a cold bottle of Samuel Adams.

“Here you go.” He offered her the beer.

“Thank you.” Katia took the beer and smiled at the fact the cap had been removed for her. She didn’t hesitate to take a long drink then when she lowered the rim from her lips she started to talk to him. “So what’s your name?”

“Joe,” replied the short blond haired man.

Katia slowly nodded and continued to strike up a conversation with him.

Katia’s mind suddenly ended the memory then flashed ahead to a more recent memory. To Friday afternoon when she was sitting in her bay class, talking with Erin, and waiting for class to start. Katia was bantering Erin about sleeping with Sara but their conversation stopped with the professor started the class. Bobby hadn’t arrived and both girls had become curious to where he was until fifteen minutes later.

Bobby and two other boys came into the lecture hall.

Katia and Erin saw him then they looked at the two guys that came in with him.

Katia narrowed her eyes at one of the boys; he was tall, lanky with a very stoic attitude. Her eyes then flickered to the other guy, who was smaller and had shaggy blond hair. He was Joe, the last person she can remember from the party.

Suddenly the memory cut off and Katia’s eyes flew open.

“What is it?” asked the concerned officer.

“Somebody gave me my first beer,” whispered Katia, “already open.”

Ashley’s jaw clamped down as she tried to remain in control of her emotions. “It wasn’t long after that you felt nauseous, dizzy, light-headed?”

Katia slowly nodded then voiced what Ashley was thinking. “I was drugged with the date rape pill.”

“It’s the only explanation,” whispered Ashley. “Who gave you the beer? Do you remember?”

Katia was about to spill out the boy’s name but she faltered when a thought came to her. Was it possible that Joe was Bobby’s friend or was it a freak incident that both of them came into class late at the same time? Katia wasn’t sure and she wasn’t sure she was ready to send a state trooper into the middle of it. She knew exactly what Ashley would do if she had a name to her possible attacker. Instead, she started to shake her head. “I’m not sure.”

“If you saw him, would you recognize him?”

“I’m not sure,” confessed Katia, “he might not even be a student.” She tried to not let her lie deceive her when she looked at Ashley. “A lot of outsiders come to those parties too.” She shook her head then said, “I blacked out after that… after that, I remember opening my eyes and I was wet. I was outside in the rain and lying on cold pavement and after my eyes came into focus, I realized I was staring at a rear tire of a car.”

Ashley remained quiet and let her friend talk about the night. She knew a little bit about it after what Erin told her but she wanted to know it from Katia’s side.

“At first, I couldn’t get up… I ached all over,” quietly spoked Katia, “but I forced myself to getup. As I got up, I recognized the car was mine and for some reason, I felt some kind of safety at seeing my car.” She paused as her mind organized her thoughts carefully. “I was in the student parking lot beside my dorm. I eventually made it to the dorm and into my room. I didn’t realize how bad I looked until Erin tried to touch me. It hurt to let her touch me… hurt to even have the lights on like it burned my eyes. I went into the bathroom to shower and clean myself up….” Her hollow green eyes focused on Ashley. “I was bruised all over, cuts marks on my legs, arms.” She then turned her right hand over.

Ashley looked down, taking the signal to look. She sucked in her breath as Katia’s clenched hand opened and a deep scar came into her view. With her fingertips, the trailed the scar and could only imagine how Katia received it that night.

“I don’t remember any of it,” whispered Katia, “but the way I looked… the way I felt… like the hands were still on my skin.” She closed her eyes to try and control her emotions. The tears though forced through her eyes and slid down her cheeks. “Teeth still marking my skin.” She shook her head. “I can’t remember any of it but my body remembers it.” Her eyes gradually opened and they were growing red and her cheeks growing wet from the tears. “I hope to God I never remember that night.”

Ashley reached forward and pulled her best friend into her arms. “Its okay, Katia.” She then heard Katia finally break down in her arms. She slumped to her knees and pulled the smaller woman into her lap. “You’ll be okay.”

Katia remained hidden in Ashley’s embrace. She never felt more vulnerable than now and something about Ashley’s presence did make it okay. This was the first time she’d spoken of that night, the first time she’d thought about it, and the first time she’d ever cried about it. She thought she could hide away from what happened, escape it, and forget it but today she realized she could never do that. She had to face it or else she would end up run over and dead. Above all, she felt she could face this with Ashley at her side and that maybe everything would be okay.

**To be continued.**


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Ashley knelt down with a cup of water in her hand; she held it out to her best friend.

Katia finished wiping at her right eye then took the glass from Ashley. "Thanks."

The state trooper partially smiled and whispered, "You going to be okay?"

"Yeah," quietly replied Katia. "Go get changed… I need a minute."

"Alright." Ashley squeezed the younger woman's knee then stood up to her tall height. She took one last look at her friend then went to the kitchen counter. She grabbed her trooper hat then proceeded into her bedroom to get changed.

Katia however leaned back into the large comfy couch and the cool leather soon warmed up to her body. She contently sighed and drank some of the cold water. She felt it travel down her throat and straight to her stomach. She never thought once in her life she could cry as much as she had in Ashley's arms out in the woods.

Ashley had held her for over thirty minutes or maybe forty-five minutes, she wasn't sure exactly how long. By the time she'd gain control of her emotions again, she'd realize just how much her body ached from being squished up so tightly in a compact position. Ashley eventually helped her to her feet and the pair had quietly returned the wheelbarrow and shovels back to the shed and went into the house.

Katia though knew her best friend had many questions and concerns now. Ashley had been concerned about her before but now she knew Ashley was certainly worried if not fearful for her. She couldn't imagine what Ashley was thinking especially since she was a state trooper. The state trooper side of Ashley just added more to the mixing pot and made Katia nervous. If it was one thing Katia disliked it was conflict and facing conflict. Conflict was something her father had taught her to steer clear of and a void. The more she went along with things the less likely she'd run into a good beating with her father.

Katia's thoughts were broke when Ashley came back out of the bedroom. She thoughtfully smiled at Ashley now in civilian clothes, a pair of jeans and a dark blue tee-shirt and in her hands was a black fleece.

"Still want to watch that movie?"

Katia felt a smile pull at her lips because it was exactly what she felt like right now. "Yeah, that'd be really nice."

"Alright." Ashley smiled back then pulled her fleece over her head and straightened it out over her body. She went to her television stand and on the left and right sides of the stand were rows after rows of DVD movies. Ashley's eyes quickly scanned over them and stopped on the DVD she needed.

Katia leaned forward and put her empty glass on the glass table. She then bent over and started to untie her Sketcher low-cut boots.

After Ashley had the DVD into the player, she turned on the television then the receiver for the sound. She grinned once her system was in full mode. When she stood up and saw Katia was getting comfortable, she asked, "You a bit cold?"

"Yeah actually," admitted the younger woman.

"Alright. Here take this." The state trooper gave the DVD remote to her friend then put the other two remotes on the table. She then disappeared back into the bedroom.

Katia furrowed her eyebrows as she wondered what Ashley went to get. She shrugged then looked over at the television screen. On the DVD menu was a picture of Angelina Jolie and the menu. "Humph," she muttered and then Ashley's return caught her attention.

"Okay, scoot down," ordered the older woman.

Katia saw the large, dark fleece blanket Ashley had now. She grinned and moved down to the middle of the sofa.

Ashley took a second to rest the blanket onto the top of the sofa. She then climbed onto the sofa so that she lay across it but one leg still off the sofa.

Katia quickly understood what Ashley's idea was when a long leg passed between her and the backside of the sofa. She chuckled and waited until her friend was sitting down comfortably. She then scooted back down until her back touched Ashley's front.

Ashley then brought her right leg up onto the sofa then her and Katia's legs entangled with one another's. She sensed Katia leaned back into her and snuggle in deeper. She grinned but stretched up to grab the blanket and opened it up in midair.

Katia sighed once the blanket settled down onto her and Ashley's bodies and instantly warmed up. She snuggled in a little more between Ashley's legs and lowered her head back onto Ashley's chest.

"Comfortable?" teased a deep voice.

Katia giggled and replied, "Yeah." She then evilly grinned and said, "Well except for these two big bumps right near my shoulders."

"There isn't a damn thing I can do about those," joked back the older woman.

Katia laughed and started to blush some. She cleared her throat and lifted the remote to direct it at the DVD player. "And on that note…."

Ashley laughed as she settled down and she made sure to keep her hands to herself, right on her thighs to be exact and on top of the blanket.

Katia pushed the play button and then brought her hands back into her lap with the remote. "Is this a good movie? And don't say yes because Jolie is in it."

The state trooper chuckled but her focus was on the opening for the movie. "It's pretty good."

"Based on a true story?" questioned the college student.

"Yup."

"Wait… is it based on a true story or is it a true story?"

"Katia," growled the state trooper, "watch the movie."

Katia smirked and put her attention on the movie instead of tormenting her best friend.

Ashley kept quiet during most of the movie except laughed at the occasionally 'oh my god' from Katia. She'd enjoy the various reactions from her best friend during the sex scene between Gia and Linda. She could feel Katia getting tense and holding her breath like she was about to dive under water. Yet as the movie progressed into the more emotional scenes between Gia and Linda, Katia would start to grumble. Ashley wasn't sure what to make of that but she was sure she'd hear about it later.

At the end of the movie, Katia was completely drained and slumped against her best friend's body. She felt the sting in her throat and eyes watered but she didn't cry. She shook her head and tried to look at Ashley some. "That's so sad," she whispered.

"Mmmm," simply agreed the state trooper. "Did you like it?" she quietly asked.

"Yeah… despite it was Jolie," she teased.

"She's a good actress," commented Ashley.

Katia giggled and teased, "I thought it was something else you were interested in other than her acting skills."

The state trooper huffed and replied, "I'm not a sex fanatic or something."

The smaller woman chuckled and patted her friend's right hand. "You would have played Gia better than Jolie."

"What?" Ashley laughed. "I am not a model."

"Oh come on," urged Katia, "you were the one that said they wanted to be a model."

"Wanted… key word: wanted," teased Ashley. She then decided not to hold the discussion anymore. She slipped out of the sofa and behind her she heard Katia flop down into the sofa in her vacant spot.

Katia was grinning like a kid with a new toy. She rolled onto her right side and watched Ashley bend down in front of the television stand. "What's the next lesbian movie? That wasn't so bad."

Ashley laughed as she reached up when the DVD tray opened. "I didn't know it was going to be bad." She kept her back to her best friend while she snapped the DVD into its case.

"It was just one sex scene," lightly commented Katia. "Although I still don't understand how… you know."

"No, I don't know," tormented the older woman. She'd put the DVD back in its home and looked at her friend with a smirk. "You don't understand what?" Her smirk grew into a smug look when her friend started to blush.

"You know…." Katia waved her hand about in midair. "You know… do that… stuff."

Ashley shook her head and gave Katia the real word. "You mean sex."

Katia coughed and stared at her empty glass from earlier. "Yeah… I know they use their fiii…." She suddenly grew redder when she realized she was admitting to the fact she knew how two women had sex. "I mean that's what I've heard from… Erin and Sara."

"Oh." Ashley still had her smug look. "I see." She then stood up and came over to the sofa, her hands on her hips and her focus completely on her best friend. She enjoyed how Katia became very nervous under her stare and started to fiddle with the DVD remote. "Ssso…." She knelt down and put one hand on the edge of the sofa and her other hand was on her left knee. When she saw Katia was able to look her in the eye, she asked, "You hungry?"

Katia considered the question then started to nod. "Very hungry."

"Good… let's eat out together."

Katia's breath suddenly caught midway in her throat.

Ashley couldn't believe how extremely bright red Katia was now at what she just said.

Katia's eyes were as wide as they could go and she suddenly sat up and started laughing hysterically. All she could think about was Mike's words 'you're eating out huh?'

Ashley remained still and quiet as she tried to figure out what was so damn funny. "Was it something I said?" she half joked.

Katia finally settled down and shook her head a little. "I'm sorry… its not you." She sighed and smiled at her friend. "Just something you said reminded me of something Mike said."

"What was that?" probed the state trooper.

The younger woman laughed and stood up from the sofa. "You do not want to know… trust me." She stretched her hands over her head and let out a small yawn.

Ashley took a minute to fold up the fleece blanket after standing up again. "So you want dinner?"

"Only if you let me pay for once," protested Katia. She grinned at her friend as her right eyebrow tried to raise up.

Ashley shook her head while she folded her arms over her chest. "I was going to let you drive and I'd pay."

"Nope." Katia gave a serious look. "Either I pay and drive or we don't eat at all."

Ashley's jaw slightly loosened. "You are tough."

"Thank you," joked the college student. "So what's your decision?" She now took a moment to slip her feet into her boots then sit back down to tie them.

Ashley laughed and said, "I have a choice?" She grinned at Katia's giggling but she turned and went to her bedroom with her blanket.

Katia finished tying her boots and went down to Ashley's bedroom. She stopped in the open doorway and leaned against the right side of the doorway. She smiled at Ashley sitting on the foot of the bed and tying her shoes. She sighed as her arms came up to wrapper over her chest. "Is that okay?"

Ashley looked up at her best friend as if taking notice of her for the first time. "Yeah… that's okay." She warmly smiled but looked back down at her shoes to finish tying them.

Katia dropped her head against the doorway and just enjoyed the sight of Ashley. Some unexplainable attraction for Ashley arose inside of her and she tried to explain it to herself but she couldn't. When Ashley stood up and approached her, her stomach dropped and her knees were slightly weak. She took a quiet yet shaky breath as she urged her body to straighten up. "Where you feel like eating?" she quietly asked.

Ashley stood tall but her neck slightly bent over so she could study her friend. "You have anything in mind?"

"Hmmmm." Katia seriously considered it. As her eyes randomly stared into Ashley's bedroom, her mind and stomach talked a little. And without realizing it, she reached out and casually placed her hands on Ashley's hips. "I kind of feel like…." She peered up with a grin. "Chinese."

"Chinese," repeated Ashley. "Hmmm… that sounds pretty good," she agreed. She smiled as her focus returned to her best friend. "I still can't buy?"

"Nope," stated the younger woman. She turned but made sure to grab a handful of Ashley's fleece top and tugged her with her. "That bill is mine."

Ashley laughed as she was dragged out of the room and down the hall to the front door. Her fleece was let go of so she took a second to grab her red winter jacket off the pegboard to her right.

Katia had the main door open but not the second door.

"Here." Ashley gave her friend her wool jacket and held onto Katia's purse.

Katia shrugged on her jacket then took her purse. "After you," she teased and stepped out the door and held it open.

Ashley stepped out and onto the doorway but she made sure to flick on the outside light since it was dark outside. She was partially down that pathway when she realized she'd forgotten something. "I need my cell phone."

"I'll get it." Katia was halfway through locking the front door but she unlocked it again. "Here." She pulled her car keys from her jacket pocket and threw them to Ashley. "Warm up the benz."

Ashley laughed and caught the keys. She strolled to her best friend's car and listened to Katia going back into the house. She glanced over at her third garage door that was now closed. She'd closed it earlier after Katia had gone into the house; she'd also made sure to put all the cleaning supplies back that Katia had used. Ashley turned her attention to the passenger side door and got into the car to start it up.

Katia hurried back to Ashley's bedroom where she knew Ashley would leave her cell phone. She spotted it on the dresser and locked into the charger. She pulled it out and hurried it chime at her. She lowered her hand to her side and started for the door again but she came to a sudden stop in the hallway. She lifted up Ashley's cell phone and stared at it in her palm. Her heart pounded some at a sudden thought in the back of her mind.

Katia licked her lips and flipped open Ashley's cell phone. It only took her a second to figure out how the cell phone worked since she'd had a Samsung before her LG. She went into the phonebook and searched through the names until she came to Laurel Fielding. "Ahha," she whispered.

She quickly pulled out her LG phone from her left chest pocket on her jacket. She went to her phonebook and started a new entry. She hastily punched in Laurel's cell phone number then just put her first name in only then saved it. She then quickly shut both phones and rushed out the front door before her friend would suspect anything.

Ashley smiled when she received her cell phone from her friend. "Locked the door?"

"Yup, all locked up."

"Thank you." Ashley was buckling her seatbelt. "Buckle up."

"It’s the law," joked Katia as she pulled the strap across her chest. "I know, I know." She grinned and her seatbelt snapped into place. "Ready?"

"Yup."

"Good because I'm starving." Katia turned on her headlights and fog lights and proceeded to back out onto Sharptown Road.

***

Katia grumbled and dropped her head back over her desk chair. "What's today?" she complained.

"Thursday," replied Erin from her bed. "Thursday." She shook her head and looked back down at her math notebook where she was doing her Fundamental math. "It's been four days since you've talked to her."

"Yeah I know," complained Katia; her voice annoyed and sad at the same time. "She must be really busy."

Erin lifted her head and studied her friend's back. "Have you called her?"

"No," admitted Katia. "I'm scared to call her."

Erin huffed and looked at her roommate with disbelief. "You have to be joking, Katia. She's practically your girlfriend and you're scared to call her."

"She's not my girlfriend," hotly stated Katia. "She's my best friend."

"Girlfriend," muttered Erin under her breath. She shook her head again then replied back louder. "Just call her."

"I don't like to unless something is up." Katia was fiddling with her phone and debating whether to call Ashley or not. "I usually let her call me… then I know I'm not bugging her."

"Girl, I don't think you could bug that woman. You're her ray of sunshine in her life."

Katia laughed and turned her head to her roommate. "I'm her pain in her ass, you mean."

Erin rolled her eyes as she continued working on her math problem. "She probably wishes for that," she teased.

"Oh give me a break already." Katia gently tossed her phone onto the desk. "We are just f-r-i-e-n-d-s… got it?"

Erin didn't reply but smirked and her body shook with a few silent laughs. "Just like the way Sara and I were," she finally commented.

"You were on the fence," reminded Katia.

"Oh and you're not?" chided Erin. She lifted her head.

Katia dropped her head backwards and stared at her upside down roommate. "No, I'm not… I'm dating Bobby, remember?"

Erin narrowed her eyes and quietly asked, "Then what the hell was that in the shower last semester, huh?" She heavily sighed as she lowered her attention to her notebook. "I wouldn't call you and me in the shower together exactly a straight experience."

Katia closed her eyes then slowly lifted her head up. "We were experimenting."

Erin huffed and just ignored her friend's words.

Katia's lips slightly puckered up and she grabbed her phone again. She started to open and close it several times. She swallowed then quietly asked, "You really think I'm a lesbian?"

Erin stopped writing and just repeated Katia's question in her head. She couldn't believe what her best friend had just asked her; she was beyond surprised. Slowly, she lifted her head and saw that Katia had turned sideways in her chair and was looking at her with a vulnerable and almost scared expression. "I don't know honestly, Katia."

Katia's gaze lowered and she stared at the floor.

Erin knew her answer wasn't good enough for Katia so she explained herself. "I think you are on the fence, Katia… you're really confused. I can't tell you if you're gay… Mikie can't and not even Sara." She watched as Katia looked at her again. "It's just something you have to figure out, like I did… like I'm doing."

"How you… figure something out like that?" Katia sighed and started to fiddle with her phone again. "I am confused."

Erin could seriously tell her roommate was having trouble with this. She knew exactly how Katia felt but she also knew Katia was having great troubles with it than what she was at the time. "One of the best things to help you is to get a girlfriend, Katia."

Katia shook her head. "I can't do that, Erin."

"Why?" urged Erin; her expression showing full worry. "Why can't you, Katia?"

"I just can't, Erin." Katia's eyes were growing glossy with flickers of anger.

Erin just stared at her friend. She knew she couldn't argue with Katia, her roommate was too stubborn. Instead, she decided to leave the topic with her last pearls of wisdom. "In my opinion, you need to figure it out… I can tell you right now, Katia this will plague for the rest of your life. If you make the wrong move, you could lose out on so much." She went silent but an afterthought occurred to her and she quietly added, "Don't let anybody judge who you are and tell you its wrong." For a few quiet seconds, she stared at her roommate then slowly she looked back down at her math homework.

Katia lowered her gaze to her open cell phone. She stared at Ashley's name in her phonebook.

***

Ashley Carver took the thick manila folder from her captain. "Thank you, sir."

"I'll give you ninety days to make a substantial improvement, sergeant," stated Captain Smith. "Are you positive you want this case?"

"Yes, sir." Ashley lowered the folder carefully onto her desk. "Will I have some men at my disposal, sir?"

"Of course, sergeant. Just relay to me how many men you will need at any particular time." The captain stood tall and proud in front of Ashley's desk; his hands behind his back.

"Yes, sir. Thank you for the case. I'll start on this tomorrow." Sergeant Carver stood tall and proud as well.

"Good." The captain took a few steps away but stopped and turned back. "I'd be sure to start with the university, sergeant. It seems most of the drugs are filtering in and out of there."

Sergeant Carver briskly nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Good day, Sergeant Carver."

"Good day, captain." Ashley watched her captain leave her desk and head through the squad room. She relaxed and was about to sit down to look at the case file but suddenly her phone rang. She grabbed the desk phone. "Sergeant Carver." She tilted her head some then said, "Thank you." She lowered her phone but with her index finger, she pushed line three. "Sergeant Carver."

Ashley reached back and pulled her chair forward some and sat down. "What?" she whispered; her voice low and full of worry. "When did this happen?" She closed her eyes and took a steady, deep breath. "Is she okay, doctor?" Slowly, her blue eyes opened and focused across the squad room. "Yes… I'll be there soon as I can. Thank you, doctor." She slightly nodded. "Yes, thank you. Bye." She hung up the phone then quickly stood up from her chair while grabbing her trooper hat off the corner of her desk.

Sergeant Carver quickly crossed the squad room and went to the captain's office. She knocked on the open door to get Captain Smith's attention. "Excuse me, sir."

"Yes?" Captain Smith looked up from his pile of papers.

"I need to leave now, captain. An emergency has come up."

"Family?"

Ashley sighed and replied, "Family of sorts, yes. I'm sorry."

Captain Smith shook his head. "No apology, Ashley. Let me know if you will need more time."

"Of course." Ashley started to step away but stopped and added, "Thank you, sir."

Captain Smith faintly smiled and nodded. "Give them my best, sergeant."

"I will, captain." Ashley quickly returned to her desk and neatened up her desk and putting certain folders away. She then quickly left the barracks and got in her car. As she came to the entrance and exit way of the barracks, she quickly debated whether she should go home to change or not. She tossed aside the idea and decided it was out of her way. Instead, she pulled out onto Route 50 and headed north.

***

Katia was strolling across campus with Erin at her side.

Erin peered across to her roommate. Just from Katia's facial features, she could tell Katia was in a bad mood. She let out a heavy sigh and finally said, "If you don't call her, I will."

Katia snapped her head around when she heard that comment. "What makes you think I want to talk to her?"

"You have been grumpy all day, Katia," simply stated Erin. "You even scared Bobby off just a minute ago."

Katia huffed and adjusted her book bag on her back. "I just hate Thursday."

"You hate any day that you don't get to talk to Ashley." Erin really hated seeing her roommate in such a bad mood. She just wished Katia would call Ashley instead of wondering what was going on with Ashley. "Look, it's almost the end of the day… I'm sure Ashley has gotten off work by now or about to."

"Good… then maybe she'll call."

"Katia, just call her," growled Erin. "Why is this so difficult? You have called her in the past without it being a huge deal."

Katia sighed because she knew she was making a big deal out of it. She wasn't sure why she was either; maybe because she was scared about what happened on Sunday. She felt like she'd revealed too much to Ashley back on Sunday and that was why Ashley hadn't called at all this week.

Erin was staring at the ground passing under her feet but when she looked up, she saw Sara standing on the steps of the Severn dorm. She instantly smiled at seeing her girlfriend. When she came in earshot, she hollered, "Will you convince this girl to call Ashley?"

"You haven't talked to her yet?" asked the surprised friend. Sara pulled the cigarette from her mouth and gently blew out the smoke. "What's up?"

"Nothing," hotly stated Katia. She folded her arms as she stood at the bottom of the steps and glared at her friend.

Erin looked at her confused girlfriend and just simply shrugged. She came up the three sets of steps. "You're cutting back, remember?"

Sara gave a challenging look to Erin.

"Don't give me that." Erin's eyes went to slits and she reached over to pluck the cigarette from her hand. She dropped it on the ground and smothered it with her right foot. She then held out her right hand. "Give me."

Sara remained quiet and just glowered at her girlfriend.

Erin slightly smirked and wiggled her hand.

Sara growled and reached into her coat pocket. She pulled out the pack of Marlboro Lights and slapped them into Erin's hand.

Erin squeezed the pack of cigarettes tightly then, with both hands, she twisted the pack of cigarettes.

A deep growl vibrated through Sara and she watched Erin chuck the destroyed pack of Marlboros into the near by trash can.

"That's my girl," teased Erin. She came back over and gently kissed Sara's cheek.

"I hate you," whispered Sara in a low voice but a grin was slightly forming.

"Thank you," tormented Erin. She then turned to face Katia, who still stood at the bottom of the steps. "Make her call Ashley."

Sara chuckled and folded her arms over her chest. "Just call her, Katia."

"No." Katia glared at her two friends.

Sara glanced at her girlfriend.

Erin just shrugged in response.

Sara gave out an annoyed sigh then walked down two of the three steps. She grasped her friend's shoulders. "Call her, Katia."

"Sara I ca-"

"Yes you can." Sara slightly smiled and lowered her head closer to Katia's. "She probably would like to talk to you. She hasn't talked to you since Sunday." She saw that Katia wasn't fully convinced so she quietly added, "You know she loves you, Katia… just call her."

Suddenly Katia's shoulders seemed to deflate and her eyes lowered down. She knew Sara had just beaten her and she couldn't make any other argument. "Okay," she finally said.

Sara warmly smiled and she could hear Erin happily give out a sigh. "Right now," she ordered.

"Okay, okay." Katia reached into her right chest pocket and pulled out her cell phone.

Sara grabbed her friend's left arm and urged her to sit down while she called Ashley.

Erin hopped down the steps and sat down on the other side of Katia.

Katia felt pretty comfortable between her two friends as she listened to the phone ring on the other end. "Hey." She smiled when she heard Ashley's voice on the other end. Yet suddenly her happy expression quickly went into worry. "You okay?"

Sara glanced over at her girlfriend and saw she was just as confused.

"Oh my god," rasped Katia. She covered her mouth with her freehand. Slowly her hand lowered down. "How… when?" She shook her head some then lowered it down while carefully listening to Ashley. "Oh my god… I can't believe that. I'm so sorry, Ash." She lifted her left arm and settled her elbow onto her knee. "Yeah… just call me if you need anything." She lowered the side of her head into her left hand. "Where are you now?"

Erin felt her stomach drop at whatever bad news Katia was hearing. She could only imagine what was going on with Ashley.

"Be careful and tell her… tell her to get better soon." Katia sighed and partially nodded. "Okay… just call me when you get back, Ashley. Okay… be safe. Bye." She lowered her cell phone from her ear and flipped it shut.

"What happened?" quietly asked Erin.

Katia swallowed hard and slowly turned her head to Erin. "Laurel… she was… raped."

***

Katia looked up from her cell phone just after reading the text message. She flipped the phone shut and returned her full attention to her driving. She was on Route 50 and headed west. She kept a sharp eye out at all the cars but she was also looking at middle area that divided the highway.

Katia turned on her left blinker and got into the left lane. She sped up to sixty-five without realizing it. She was so worried about her best friend and she could only imagine how Ashley was doing right now. She passed Sharptown Road and she knew she was getting closer.

Then just ahead, Katia spotted the dark green patrol car sitting in the grass between the highway. She slowed down her Mercedes and flipped her left blinker on. Katia drove her car onto the shoulder and came to a stop about fifty feet away from the patrol car.

After switching on her hazards, she got out of her car and walked towards the state trooper car. Inside of the car, she could just make out Ashley's form slightly slumped down. Katia sighed and was shaking her head as she zipped up her grey wool jacket to keep her warm in the cool breeze. She approached the driver's side and smiled at Ashley when Ashley got the window down.

"Hey," Ashley sadly greeted; her smile not full.

"Hey." Katia placed her hand on the door. "How are you doing?"

Ashley looked away as her head bobbed a few times. "Hanging in there." She then nodded to her right at the passenger door. "Get in. It's cold out there."

"Thanks." Katia walked around the front of the car and climbed into the passenger seat. She slammed the door and instantly felt her body warm up.

"How have you been?" Ashley looked over at her best friend.

"Okay." Katia folded her arms over her chest. "I've been worried about you."

"I'm fine," reassured Ashley. Her attention left Katia and she looked back at the highway as a few cars here and there passed by. "It's been awhile since I've seen you," she casually mentioned.

"Eight days," quietly calculated Katia. She took a deep breath. "I've been pretty shitty without you," she admitted but frowned as she looked at Ashley. "I know that's pretty selfish to say… considering everything."

Ashley softly smiled and shook her head. "No its not." She quickly looked up when her laser gun beeped and the red digits read sixty-seven miles per hour. She ignored it. "You didn't have class today?"

"Oh I did," promised Katia with a chuckle. "We just didn't have my bay class… my professor is sick." She sighed and muttered, "I hate Mondays."

Ashley had a faint grin at her friend's statement. And as much as she hated Mondays too, she felt better at finally being able to see Katia. It'd been a rough weekend and she'd spent it with Laurel the whole time. She'd finally gotten home on Sunday so she could work today.

Katia shifted a little in her seat and stared down at her feet. "You wanna talk about what happened?" She looked up at the state trooper. "With Laurel."

Ashley studied her friend briefly then looked away, again staring at the passing cars. "Yeah…." She reached up with her right hand a rubbed her face some but her sleepy expression never rubbed off. "I need to talk to you about it," she quietly admitted.

"Alright." Katia's lips tightened with her musing. "How about lunch because I'm hungry then we'll go to your place…?"

"Yeah," agreed the state trooper. She was looking at her watch. "I started at six this morning so I'm due off any minute here." She then pulled her leather sleeve of her jacket back down.

Katia knew it was almost two-thirty and she’d already knew Ashley would be getting off soon. "Alright… how about Red Door Sub Shop for lunch?"

Ashley chuckled and nodded. "Sounds good."

"Need to go back to the station before going to lunch?"

Ashley shook her head. "Nah." She then reached up to pull her seatbelt down and buckled it.

"Okay, I'll see you over there." Katia grabbed the door handle and got out. After she closed the door, she noted Ashley was putting the window down.

"K," she called, "just drive up here and use the emergency turn around." Ashley pointed to the strip of pavement that connected to the divided highway. "If a cop bothers you just tell them I said it was okay." She grinned and was about to say more but suddenly the laser gun beeped and louder than last time.

"Damn," growled the state trooper.

Katia knew what that meant and she took a step back.

"Just wait there on that pad until I come back around. I won't be long."

"Alright… be careful," she called and stepped back a few times. She watched Ashley fly out onto the highway and the police siren went off. She folded her arms and grinned as the police car flew down the highway and lights flashing. "Get 'em, tiger," she muttered and turned around.

Katia returned to her car and got in before she got any colder. She buckled herself in then put her car into drive. She slowly drove up to the emergency turn around and pulled her car onto the pad, she then put her car in park. She sat there and watched the eastbound cars pass by her.

As she sat there and waited for her best friend, she listened to the 4 Strings burn cd that Ashley had given her. Then a funny thought occurred to her and she chuckled. "A cop and she burns me illegal cds." She chuckled a few more times and shook her head, a silly grin on her face. She relaxed for several more minutes but kept a careful eye on the flowing traffic. She actually noticed that several cars would slow down when they saw her as if she was a cop. But that moment of hesitation stopped and they'd speed back up, it made her laugh. She then noted that a group of cars were driving the speed limit and she looked beyond them to see a cop car coming.

Katia straightened up in her seat and put her car in drive but kept her foot on the brake. The trooper patrol car flashed its headlights at her and she knew it was Ashley for sure. She pulled her car forward some and waved at Ashley when she passed in front of her. She waited several seconds then pulled out when the traffic was clear.

Katia decided she needed to play catch up with Ashley so she sped up her car. She started pushing sixty-five and it was easy to get around the rest of the slow cars. She was in the right lane and came up along side Ashley.

Ashley looked over and smiled at her.

Katia laughed while trying remained focused on her driving at the same time.

Ashley just shook her head and pointed at Katia then pointed ahead.

Katia furrowed her eyebrows and pointed to herself.

Ashley nodded several times.

Katia figured her friend wanted her to lead the way. She could only that Ashley hadn't been to Red Door so she had no idea where to go once they'd get into Salisbury. She pushed on her gas pedal and passed Ashley.

The state trooper put on her blinker and pulled in behind Katia's Mercedes. She then decided not to keep playing sign language games so she unhooked her cell phone from her side. She pulled up Katia's number and called her.

Katia jumped and grabbed her cell phone from her chest pocket. "Hey," she greeted.

"Could you drive faster, Katia… I'm hungry," complained the state trooper.

"I'm going sixty-five," countered the college student.

"That's great but go seventy… seventy-five," ordered the state trooper.

Katia laughed because she couldn't believe what her friend was telling her. "Alright… you're the trooper." She pushed on her gas pedal and went flying down Route 50 towards Salisbury. "You know where Red Door is?"

"Nope," replied Ashley, "that's why you're leading."

"Right." Katia grinned. "It's near SU."

"That still doesn't help me since SU is so big."

Katia sighed then said, "Red Door is right-"

"Katia," cut off the trooper, "just hang up and drive."

Katia laughed several times. "Alright… bye."

"Bye." Ashley happily grinned and she closed up her phone then hooked it back into its holder. She was already feeling better now that she'd seen her best friend. Katia was her ray of sunshine anymore considering how frustrated she was at her life.

Katia started to slow down as she took the business exit for Salisbury. She pulled onto Route 13 and made her way towards the university. Just ahead an intersection light went red and she stopped her car right on the line. She grumbled while she waited for the light but then she decided to amuse herself. She peered up in her rear view mirror and studied Ashley.

Ashley corked an eyebrow and smirked. She saw Katia's eyes narrow at her and she laughed some. She then decided to just stare right back.

Katia giggled and stared even harder through her mirror. She then noted a huge cat grin cross her friend's lips. Suddenly there was pop from Ashley's siren and it made Katia jump and squeal.

Ashley flicked her siren on again really quickly when Katia didn't catch her drift.

Katia realized the traffic in the other lane was moving and it was a green light. "Oh shit." She hysterically laughed and slammed on her gas pedal. "I'm such an idiot."

Ashley was shaking her head as she laughed. "She never pays attention." She then signalled for a right turn onto Salisbury Boulevard. She drove down there for a ways then pulled into the restaurant behind Katia. She parked her car beside Katia's and got out at the same time.

"Sorry about that," mentioned Katia as she waited at the trunk of her car.

"No problem." Ashley was grinning but she joined her friend at her side. "Come on, K."

Katia smiled at the nickname and followed along side. Her stomach seemed to growl harder with each step she took closer to the sub shop.

When they got inside, they found a table in the corner of the small sub shop. They both sat down, facing one another.

Ashley reached up and pulled her hat off; she hung it off the back side of her chair.

"How was work?" started Katia as she handed a menu to her friend.

"It was long," admitted Ashley. "I put myself on patrol duty." She opened the menu and started scanning over the food.

"Yeah? Why was that?" inquired the younger woman. She was scanning over the lunch menu as well.

Ashley sighed and replied, "I just wasn't in the mood to do paperwork… tomorrow will be better."

Katia peered up and saw Ashley looking at her with a half smile but she could see the worn look. "It will be," she promised and gave one of her warmest smile.

Ashley felt some kind of weight leave her and smiled back. She lowered her gaze back to the menu.

Katia wasn't quite sure what happened there but she did know it made her best friend feel better. That was all that mattered to her. She finally decided on what she wanted and when she put her menu back in its spot, the waitress appeared.

"Hello, ladies," greeted the server. "What can I get you to drink?"

"Can I get a super-sweet tea," joked Katia.

The waitress softly laughed and wrote down the drink. "And for you?"

Ashley looked up from her menu and replied, "Unsweet tea."

The waitress was grinning as she wrote the order down. She then turned on her heels to take care of the drink orders.

Ashley looked at her best friend. "How's classes been?"

"Same old… crap," muttered Katia. "I have a couple of tests coming up soon, I'm sure."

"Thanksgiving is coming up," reminded Ashley.

Katia quickly looked up from her paper placemat. "Yeah I know… are we still…?" Her unfinished question hung in the air.

"Definitely… mother is expecting us both."

"Are you sure?" asked the worried student.

"Positive," reassured Ashley. She smiled as she said, "Mother is excited to meet you."

"Oh god," moaned Katia. She slumped in her chair but she looked up when the waitress brought their drinks to them.

"What you gals want for lunch?" inquired the waitress. She pulled out her pad again and pen.

Ashley nodded in Katia's direction.

Katia took the signal and quickly recited her order. "Small cheese steak… extra cheese and small… no wait large fries."

The server nodded then looked at Ashley in question.

"Just a chicken salad on wheat."

"Toasted?"

Ashley thought about it but shook her head. "No thanks."

"Anything else?" The waitress looked between the two women.

Katia smirked and said, "Can I just get a heart attack with that and an ambulance on the side?"

The waitress started to laugh at Katia's joke. "You're young, honey… you can handle it." She winked and strolled off with their orders.

Katia looked at her best friend and saw her amused expression. "What?"

Ashley softly chuckled and grinned. "You're full of yourself, aren't you?"

"No." Katia pulled her ice tea closer. "I'm just happy to see you." She went silent as she sipped on her tea through the straw.

Ashley enjoyed the comment as she stirred her tea around. "I feel better… now," she quietly admitted.

Katia warmly smiled at the confession. After she was finished taking a drink, she pushed her tall glass of tea away then her attitude went more serious. "How is she?"

"She's… getting better." Ashley took a quick drink of her tea then set the glass aside. "She was in the hospital for about a day."

"What'd the doctor say?" inquired Katia.

"Nothing much," admitted Ashley, "other than she's bruised and cut… she'll heal from that."

Katia furrowed her eyebrows. "But don't they do a… a kit, a test?"

"Technically yes," agreed the trooper, "but Laurel refused it."

Katia just stared at her friend in pure disbelief. She then finally asked, "Why?"

"I don't know." Ashley shook her head and grabbed her fork. She turned it over a few times then softly added, "She won't even tell me why."

"Is she even allowed to refuse it?" urged Katia.

"I didn't think you could but…." Ashley shrugged. "I guess Pennsylvania is different than Maryland."

"That's really strange," whispered Katia. She grabbed her tea again and started to drink more of it.

"It is," quietly agreed the state trooper. She released her fork and looked up at her friend. "I'll tell you more about it when we get home."

Katia simply nodded. She pushed her tea away again and she faintly grinned when she realized what Ashley had just said. _We get home_ , repeated Katia in her head. It was as if Ashley's home was now Katia's home as well. But then she had to agree with Ashley since Ashley's house felt more and more like home to her.

"What you grinning about?" asked the trooper.

Katia realized she'd been caught and her mind quickly thought up a reply. "Just about Thanksgiving."

"Worried?" teased the older woman.

"Nah," brushed off Katia. "I'm excited… I can't wait to see what your family is like."

"Yeah, I think you'll like them."

Katia chuckled and leaned forward some. "I think I'm more worried if they'll like me."

"They will," promised Ashley. She then grinned more and said, "I think you'll like my brother."

"Lucus?"

Ashley slowly nodded. "He's your age."

"Ash, don't try to hook me up with your brother." Katia sat back in her chair and tried one of Ashley's raised eyebrows.

"Oh come on, Katia," urged the trooper, "you would love Lucus."

Katia huffed, folded her arms, and kept a stern look. "And why is that?"

"Well… he's like me…." Ashley thought about what she just said then decided to make an amendment. "Mentally that is."

Katia huffed. "So he looks nothing like you?"

"Kind of the opposite." Ashley tilted her head to the left some. "Five foot ten inches, green eyes, blond hair… small built."

"What?" Katia laughed and said, "He sounds like the male version of me."

Ashley softly chuckled at her friend. "Maybe so." She stirred her tea around again with her straw. "He's into criminology too."

"Really? Like what in criminology?"

"Originally he thought about being a lawyer but now…." Ashley shook her head some. "I think he's getting into the forensics side of crime."

"Huh." Katia considered that for a moment, her eyes unfocused.

As she took a drink of her tea, the trooper saw how Katia was thinking about it. After she took her sip, she pulled back from her drink. "He might be… your type."

Suddenly Katia snapped out of her musing. "Ash, I'm not going to date your brother because he's some... male version of you."

Very slowly Ashley lifted an eyebrow.

"I'd just date you if I wanted to date you… and not your mismatch sibling," teased Katia yet she was also serious.

Ashley faintly grinned but she lost the grin.

Katia was about to say more but the waitress appeared with their food in hand.

"Here you go." The waitress put the chicken salad in front of Ashley, the cheese steak with Katia, and the small plate of fries between them. She then pulled out the order receipt and placed it on the table between all the plates.

Katia watched her go then she smirked at her friend. "Who said I was sharing my fries?"

The state trooper grinned and reached to take a fry. "Nice of you to share, K."

The younger woman rolled her eyes and grabbed the bottle of ketchup from her left. She twisted the white cap off and started to pour it out to the side of the cheese steak.

"Put some with the fries," mentioned Ashley.

Katia sighed but she was grinning as she lifted the bottle up. She poured more of it beside the fries. When she was finished, she lifted it and grinned at Ashley. "Anything else, my queen? Maybe ketchup with your chicken salad?"

Ashley didn't reply but simply glared for a response.

Katia deeply chuckled and twisted the cap back on then put it back. "When you have off again?"

Ashley finished chewing her bite of sandwich then replied, "Saturday."

"How you mange to always get the weekends off?"

The state trooper slightly grinned then replied, "Being a sergeant has its advantages."

"First sergeant," corrected the student.

Ashley rolled her eyes. "Thanks."

"No problem," teased Katia. She'd just finished dipping one end of her cheese steak into the ketchup then lifted it to take a bite.

"When's your last day of classes for Thanksgiving break?"

"What day is Thanksgiving?" Katia swirled her end of cheese steak again in the ketchup. "The 27th?"

"Yeah… it's Thursday." Ashley lifted up a fry and dipped it in the ketchup.

Before Katia took another bite, she said, "I think my last day of classes is that Monday… then I don't start classes until next Monday."

"So six days off," concluded Ashley. She picked up her other half of chicken salad and took a bite while thinking about the travel plans. "We'll take my car."

Katia shook her head but she didn't say anything since her mouth was full. After she swallowed it, she finally asked, "Why? We can take my car."

"Do you know Rehoboth?"

The younger woman faintly blushed. "Not really."

"Okay then." Ashley grinned then took another bite of her sandwich. After she ate the bite, she also added, "Besides, mother doesn't live directly in Rehoboth… by the beach."

Katia furrowed her eyebrows. "Where then?"

"In Harbeson… the house is on the bay side." Ashley took a few fries and put them in the ketchup. "It's out of the beach area, which is good in the summer."

"That traffic has to be insane in the summer," agreed Katia. She finally took a few of her own fries but didn't put any ketchup on them. "You'll show me Rehoboth right?"

"Definitely," promised Ashley. "You haven't been to Rehoboth?"

Katia shook her head as she ate two more fries. "I did when I was young but I don’t remember. For some reason, my father wouldn't let us go back there ever again after that one vacation." She shrugged then picked up her glass of tea. "Ever since then, we went to Ocean City."

"Ocean City is too trashy anymore," complained Ashley.

"Yeah… I'm not a big beach person to begin with." Katia put her drink back down and decided to finish off her cheese steak since she had enough room.

Ashley had just finished off her sandwich and started to slowly munch of the large stack of fries between them. "Do you want to leave Monday night or Tuesday morning?"

Katia finished eating the last of her food then replied after a minute. "Monday night, okay?"

"Yeah," replied Ashley, "I finish work around five."

"I'll be done my bay class around… three."

"Just drive over to the house and wait for me," stated Ashley.

Katia nodded a few times. She grabbed a few fries and this time put them in the ketchup. "That's in… two weeks…?"

Ashley softly laughed and said, "Yes… it’s the tenth today."

"Right." Katia chuckled at herself as she ate more of the fries.

"You need anything else?" asked Ashley.

"No, I'm good." Katia though continued to eat the last remains of the fries.

"Alright… be back." Ashley stood up and grabbed the receipt as well. She took a quick sip of her tea then put it back down on the table.

"I'll get the tip at least," chided Katia.

The state trooper grinned and strolled off to the register counter.

Katia finished her fries and also took a last drink of her sweet tea. Slowly she stood up and put her purse on the table. She fished around in her wallet and pulled out a five dollar bill. After she put it on the table, she went to Ashley's vacated chair and reached over to get Ashley's hat. She grinned as she lifted the hat up.

Ashley finished paying the bill then looked over at Katia, who was approaching her. She suddenly had a silly grin when she saw Katia wearing her trooper hat. "I don't think that's your size," she teased.

"Come on, partner," teased Katia, she made her way for the door.

The state trooper shook her head while a few laughs escaped her. She hurried after her friend and followed her to the cars.

Katia stopped at the back of her car and waited for her friend to catch up to her.

"I have to go back to the barracks. So just meet me at the house."

"Alright," agreed the smaller woman. She reached up and pulled Ashley's hat off. "I'll warm the couch for you."

Ashley laughed as she reached into her pockets to get her car keys.

"Thanks for lunch, Ash."

Ashley smiled then replied, "Thanks for the company."

Katia grinned and stepped closer. She stood on her tiptoes and put the hat back on Ashley. She then wrapped her arms around Ashley in a tight hug.

Ashley laughed and tightly hugged Katia back. After she released the smaller woman, she started walking to the driver's door. "I'll see you there."

Katia smiled. "See yah." She unlocked her car, got in, and then started it. She waited until Ashley backed out first then she followed suit. She followed the state police car onto Salisbury Boulevard then back on Route 13 then finally Route 50. It wasn't long before Sharptown Road came up and she took a right onto the road while Ashley continued down Route 50 to the barracks.

Within a few minutes, Katia pulled into Ashley's driveway and parked her car off to the side, close the bush row. She turned the engine off and hopped out. When she got into the house, she took her coat off and hung it up with her purse by the door. She then went to the couch and happily flopped down in it. It only took her a few seconds to turn the television on and started flipping through all the channels.

About thirty minutes later, Ashley's car pulled into the driveway.

Katia just made out the sound of the garage door opening. She faintly yawned and covered her mouth. She turned the volume down on the receiver then she got up and went into the kitchen for something to drink. She pulled out the plastic container of water and put it on the counter then got a glass.

"You do make yourself a home, don't you?" teased the state trooper from the doorway.

Katia peered up and grinned at her friend. "Well you did give me a house key."

"I did," agreed Ashley. "I need to get changed." She'd just taken her state trooper jacket off and hung it up on the peg board. She quietly made her way into the bedroom.

Katia finished putting the container of water back in the fridge. She grabbed her glass of water and went to turn the television off. After she had it off, she went into Ashley's bedroom and sat down on the foot of the bed.

Ashley was busy taking all her articles off and putting them on the large dresser top. "You definitely checked with your parents about coming with me?"

"Yeah, yeah," brushed off Katia. "They know and its fine." She watched Ashley nod her head a few times. She decided to take a sip of her water.

Ashley turned around as she pulled her light brown shirt up and untucked it. "Good because I don't feel like getting in trouble with your parents." She grinned when Katia grinned at her. She started to unbutton her top. "Especially when I haven't even met them."

Katia chuckled and stared down in her glass of water. "Nothing to worry about." She peered up and saw Ashley had her uniform shirt off and underneath she'd had one a black undershirt to keep her extra warm.

Ashley went to her closet and hung up the shirt. She then returned to her dresser and shifted through it until she pulled out a long sleeve white teeshirt and a pair of jeans. "How's Lisa been?"

"I'm not really sure," replied Katia. "I mean she's still in school… so that's good at least."

The state trooper faintly raised an eyebrow at the submission but she continued her way into the bathroom. "What drugs is she into?"

Katia took a small drink of her water before answering. "Mainly weed… she seems to be drinking a lot too." She shook her head as she fiddled with her glass. "She has dad's genes with that."

Even though the comment was quiet, Ashley had clearly heard it. She knew she was going to need a talk with Katia about the ongoings in her family, among other things. Yet she knew there was so much to cover and even she wasn't sure where to start without fully upsetting Katia. She knew Katia didn't like facing her problems and it would scare her off but yet she knew Katia needed to face them.

Katia cleared her throat and asked, "You talk to Laurel?"

"No," replied Ashley. "I need to give her a call tonight."

Katia had taken another drink of her almost depleted water. She looked over to the bathroom door. "Does she know who her attacker is?"

"She has no idea," answered Ashley. "She says she was blind folded."

Katia shivered just at the thought. "His voice… would she recognize that?"

"I'm not sure." Ashley finished putting her pants on and buttoned them up. She came out of the bathroom with her uniform clothes folded in one arm and her work boots in her left hand. "She can't seem to remember anything."

Katia furrowed her eyebrows and peered into her glass. "That's really strange."

"Well…." Ashley opened her closest and hung up her uniform pants and put the boots directly underneath. "Either she's blocked it or denies it."

"Yeah but she knows she's been raped," quietly stated Katia. "So she's not blocking it."

"True," agreed the officer. "I'm just going to give her some time." She'd pulled out her Adidas sneakers and came over to Katia. She sat down beside her and started to put her shoes on and tie them. "She's with her mother right now."

"That's probably the best." Katia watched her friend hunch over and tie the shoes. "They'll have to do a pregnancy test on her."

Ashley deeply sighed as she finished tying her shoes. She didn't say anything until she sat up again. "Yeah I know… it'll be another week or so before she does the test."

"Is she going to the doctors for that?" probed the younger woman.

Ashley shook her head. "I don't know yet… we haven't talked about it."

Katia ran her left hand through her short hair. "What you think you'll do if she is pregnant?"

The state trooper studied her friend then looked down at the floor. "I guess that really depends on if she keeps it or not."

"Ashley, if she has a child… and you stay with her, that's going to be a huge commitment." Katia saw how blue eyes slowly focused on her. "I don't think you're ready for that… well with Laurel at least."

The state trooper sighed and looked away. "Well I can't exactly leave her because she was raped. That's just…."

"Not fair," finished Katia. She let out a huge sigh as she stared at her glass of water. "Hopefully she won't be pregnant."

"I have a feeling she will be," quietly stated Ashley. "She's not on birth control for obvious reasons and second she'd just finished having her period."

Katia faintly cringed after her friend said that.

"Yeah I know," agreed Ashley to Katia's cringe.

"I guess… I was lucky with that," quietly acknowledged Katia.

Ashley gave a hidden sigh and studied Katia's hands in her lap. "Katia…."

Slowly Katia lifted her head and studied her best friend. "It's over," she whispered, "and there's nothing I want to do about it."

Ashley searched soft, vulnerable green eyes. "Why?"

"I just want to move on from it, Ashley." Katia lowered her gaze to her hands again, the glass wrapped in the middle of them. "It's too late to do anything anyway." She looked up and saw how upset Ashley was about this. Katia sighed and slowly slipped off the bed and disappeared into the main portion of the house.

Ashley stared down at her own hands; several times she clenched and unclenched them. She felt so frustrated because all she could see was a dead end to helping Katia.

Ashley sighed and closed her eyes. "I can do this." She opened her eyes and slowly stood up from the bed. When she walked into the living room, she found Katia by the patio door, staring outside and arms wrapped around her body.

A heavy weight captured Ashley's heart and she quietly came up behind her best friend. Gradually, Ashley slipped her arms around Katia's waist and pulled her in close.

Katia leaned back into Ashley and she tried to find some comfort and escape in Ashley's arms. She gradually turned to Ashley; her face stricken with emotions.

Ashley became so sadden by the look because she knew she couldn't take Katia's past or problems away. She lowered her head down as Katia completely turned into her arms. She sensed Katia shaking in her arms from combination of tears and raw emotions.

Katia tightly clung to her best friend in hopes her world wouldn't shatter.

Ashley gently kissed Katia's head then that seemed to release the sobbing from Katia. She tightened her arms even more around Katia as the sobbing and whimpering continued. And then Ashley's own hot tears rolled down her cheeks. She found a little bit of her voice and her promising voice whispered, "I'm here for you, Katia."

**To Be Continued.**


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Katia pulled out the small Flash memory stick from the desktop computer and inserted it into her laptop on the side. It only took a few seconds for her Dell notebook to accept the portable hard drive and Katia could open her files on it.

Katia sighed some and peered up from her laptop on the long desk. She studied the few students in the computer lab. None of them noticed her staring at them; they were all too busy typing or generally staring into their screens. Katia tried not to grumble because she was stuck with Saturday duty in the computer lab. She knew it was decent money but working Saturdays in the middle of the day was more than obnoxious. 

After a dramatic exhale of breath, she twisted around in her chair and reached to the right of the desktop monitor. She lifted the scanner's top and pulled out her white piece of paper. Katia turned the paper over and studied the graphite drawings she'd done on it a few moments ago.

Katia wasn't really sure what she was planning to do with the drawing yet, but she had some thoughts. Right now her attention was back on her laptop. She booted up her Paint Shop Pro 7.0 version and waited for it to completely load. After the program loaded, she pulled up the scans from her Flash stick and saved them into a folder on her desktop.

After awhile, Katia became lost into her work on the laptop and never paid much mind to who was coming and going in the lab. It wasn't until a large hand grabbed her shoulder that she jumped and broke away from her laptop's screen. "Christ," she muttered but she relaxed when she realized it was her boyfriend.

"Erin said you were on duty." Bobby pulled out a chair from the table and sat next to Katia.

"Yeah," confessed the bored woman, "I'm here for another hour or so." She glanced at her notebook's clock; it was another hour. She then turned her head to Bobby again. "What you doing here?"

"Thought I'd come to see you… give you some company." Bobby sat back in his chair and spread is legs some, his hands folded in his lap. "Wanted to ask you to the movies tonight. Feel like going?"

Katia slightly smiled at the offer as she considered it. "What time?"

"Kind of late," admitted Bobby. "I need to do a few things this evening then I can go."

"Yeah sure… just call me when you want to go." Katia shrugged and crossed one leg over the other. "I'm not planning on anything."

Bobby tilted his head though when he saw a slightly confused look cross his girlfriend's features. "But?" he probed.

"I need to do something too," admitted Katia. Her attention centred back on Bobby again. "Any movie in particular?"

"Yeah I was thinking about Under the Tuscan Sun."

Katia laughed and tried to stop when Bobby mock glared at her. She chuckled a few more times and reached over to take his hand into her own. "I'm sorry… I didn't expect that." She softly smiled then added, "I'd like to see it too."

Finally a smile shaped Bobby's lips. "Great." He laced their hands together and he turned his head to Katia's laptop. His expression twisted into a mix of confuse and curiosity. "She looks like you."

Katia now looked at her scanned drawing that she'd added colour to through the Paint Shop. "Yeah… I guess she does," she admitted, "but I don't exactly wear those types of clothes."

Bobby laughed some and slightly smiled at the drawing. "Her hair looks good short." He turned his head and studied Katia then studied the drawing again, as if he were comparing. "What is she wearing anyway?" He paused then teasingly added, "If she's wearing anything."

Katia softly laughed and lifted her free hand. She pointed at her upper chest. "It's like a velvet top." She trailed her index finger down to the character's torso. "Skirt with a silver belt kind of thing." Again her finger traced down and circled around the character's feet. "And leather boots."

"Huh." Bobby's lips puckered some and he pointed at her hands. "What are those weapons?"

"Sais," answered Katia. "You know… like what Raphael uses." She saw how confused her boyfriend was so she further explained it. "The Ninja Turtle… the red one."

Bobby laughed then nodded. "Yeah, yeah… I remember him now." He slightly tilted his head as he tried to understand the idea of the character. "Why'd you draw her?"

"I'm… not sure," admitted Katia, she was just as confused too. "Just had her in my head."

"You're really good," commented Bobby. He looked away from the laptop to Katia. "You always do this?"

"When I have the time, yeah." Katia shrugged as her attention wavered between the screen and her boyfriend. "I love drawing and I love using this program." A slight smile pulled at her lips. "This program can add a lot of depth that you just couldn't do by hand."

"Yeah I can tell." Bobby sat back in his seat but still held onto Katia's hand. "You should think about going into computer graphics."

"I've thought about it," agreed Katia. "I want something with art and something with computers."

"Well there you go," offered Bobby, his free hand holding out towards the laptop. "It's perfect." His hand fell back into his leg. "I hear you can make a ton of money too."

Katia grinned some at his statement despite she knew it was true. "Yeah… its good money." She then felt a little uncomfortable continuing the topic so she decided to switch it. "What you have to do this evening?"

Bobby's focus broke from the screen and went back to his girlfriend. "I need to catch up with some buddies of mine." He stopped decided to add, "Just some stuff I've got to take care of."

Katia studied him curiously for a moment but then nodded her head.

Bobby squeezed the smaller hand in his then let go. "I'll give you a call tonight, okay?" He stood up and grasped the back of his chair.

"Sounds good." Katia watched him put the chair away.

"I'll see you then." Bobby smiled then took a step closer. He bent down and captured his girlfriend's soft lips.

Katia returned the brief kiss then gave him a smile as he stepped away. "Bye."

"See yah, Katia." Bobby flashed a bright smile then left through the heavy door of the lab.

Katia looked away from the door when it shut. She returned to her notebook and decided to finish off her drawing of this woman. She finished defining the warrior's hair and decided to colour in the feathers in her hair. She slightly smiled at how well this warrior was forming before her eyes. She moved her mouse down and started colouring the boots in with shades of brown. The last two things she did were colour the outfit mainly red with touches of black then she splashed the belt and large wrist bracelets with shades of silver.

Katia rested back in her chair and stared at the drawing. Something still felt incomplete as she stared at the female warrior that stared back at her. The warrior was small, short blond hair, legs slightly spread, and her sais in her hands but her knees were bent as if she were preparing to attack something.

Suddenly Katia leaned forward again and moved her mouse to the text button. She clicked on it and proceeded to type something in the text input box. After she had it type, she played around with the various fill colours for the text and decided on a mix of green, maroon, and brown as the colour. She clicked Okay and the text floated on top of the character so Katia moved it down. After she had it centred perfectly under the warrior's feet, she decided to add an effect to the text. It only took Katia a second to put the shadow effect on the text and it made the text slightly stand out against the plain white background.

Once again, Katia slouched back in her chair and studied the image. She slowly smiled as she muttered the title under the warrior's feet. "Amazon Queen." Katia felt content with the drawing so she saved it then closed everything down.

Just then the door to the lab swung open and caught Katia's attention. Katia was surprised when Mike came into the lab and came directly to her.

"Hi, sweetie." Mike smiled warmly and bent down to kiss Katia on the cheek then hugged her.

"Sit down," offered Katia, she directed the chair under the table.

"Thanks." Mike pulled out the chair and sat down. He crossed one leg over the other then after getting settled, he asked, "How are yah?"

"I'm okay." Katia smiled at her best friend. "How have you been? I haven't seen you lately."

"I know." Mike sighed rather dramatically. "But I've been good." He then suddenly grinned and said, "Guess who I met?"

"I have no idea," confessed Katia, a grin playing on her lips. "A guy right?"

Mike snickered and ducked his head some. "Met him at a Mexican restaurant." He leaned forward and whispered, "He's a server there and he was so cute."

"He woo you with his Spanish?" teased Katia.

"Yeah right," snorted Mike. "I can only speak Spanglish." His saucy grin returned on his face. "He was ssso cute though, Katia. You have to come with me next time to see him."

"Oh no thanks," protested the younger woman. "I don't do spicy."

"Come on," urged Mike, "It's not all spicy." He grabbed at Katia's hands and held them. "You have to, Katia… please." He frowned. "I just can't show up there alone."

"Alright… maybe," semi-promised Katia. Suddenly a grin crept along her face. "I'll just hang all over you in front of him."

"Cha'right," protested Mike, "you wish but you don't have a beefy burrito like him."

Katia's mouth dropped and she went bright red. "Mike," she hissed and smacked his hands in her lap. "I didn't need to hear that."

"Oh come on, girl." Mike pulled his hands away and rubbed them after getting them slapped. "You know you want some of Ashley's sour cream."

Katia sunk in her seat and groaned, her hand covering her face. She dropped her hand but she could still feel her face on fire. "I don't want her sour cream or her guacamole either."

Mike crinkled up his nose. "Gross. I hope it's not green."

Katia just rolled her eyes and resisted the urge to smack him on the leg. "Is that all you wanted? To tell me about your Mexican boy?"

"No," confessed Mike, "not just about my Corona boy." He leaned forward and his bright blue eyes locked on Katia. "Erin and Sara updated me on some G."

"Oh… god… what?" Katia tensed as she waited for the information.

Mike peered around the lab and realized nobody was paying either of them any mind. He looked back at Katia and whispered, "Sara said your boyfriend is into roofies."

"I know… its okay, Mike."

"What!" protested the normally quiet friend. "Katia, that's so not okay."

Katia saw everybody in the room was looking up from the screens, wondering what they were talking about now. She quickly stood up, grabbed Mike by the arm and dragged him out of the lab into the empty hallway. She slammed the door and looked at Mike with fiery green eyes. "Mike," she hissed, "its none of your business."

"Yeah right." Mike folded his arms over his chest. "He's dating you so it's all my business, Miss Thing." He slightly glared at her and said, "I can't believe you'd date him when you know this about him."

"Mike…." Katia took a deep breath to sooth her temper. "It is just a rumour."

"Sure," brushed off Mike. "Rumour my hairy ass. That boy comes off like a raping prick."

Katia was startled by his forwardness and harsh words. She knew it was a rare event when Mike cussed or downed somebody unless he really disliked them. "Mike, you're not dating him so don't worry." She was about to walk away but Mike's hand on her arm stopped her.

"Katia, seriously," uttered the worried friend. "This is serious. What if he slips you one of those huh? You'll be knocked out within thirty minutes and he could do whatever after that." He could tell Katia was resisting his words so he pressed harder. "I'm just worried, Katia… you're my family." He searched her weary eyes and tried to guess what she was thinking. "I will really kick his ass if he does anything."

"Yeah, I know," muttered Katia. She hung her head down some.

"Katia, have you talked to him about it yet?"

Katia let out a heavy sigh and looked up. "No… not yet."

"Why?" urged the young man.

"Just because, Mike," replied Katia, frustrating seeping in her tone. "Not exactly the easiest topic to start, yah know." She suddenly smiled brightly. "Oh hey baby, I was wondering… do you sell and buy roofies… maybe use them too?" Her smile instantly died and she shook her head. "I don't think so, Mike."

"It doesn't matter… you have a right to ask him." Mike finally released his friend's arm. "That's not something you should be messing with, honey."

Katia folded her arms over her chest and looked away.

"Let me put it this way," stated Mike, "either you talk to him or I'll talk to Ashley about it."

Katia's head snapped up and shock rippled through her then suddenly she became angry again. "Don't you dare, Mike." She pointed a finger at him. "You will be on my shit list for a very, very long time if you tell Ashley."

"Why? Because you know she'll hunt that sick piece of shit down?" Mike held his hard gaze on her. "I rather be on your shit list than have you get hurt." He held her gaze then whispered, "Again."

"Just back off, Mike," warned Katia. She grabbed the door the computer lab but she looked back at him. "I swear if you tell Ashley, I will...." She couldn't finish her sentence but her dark stare sent chills up Mike's back. She opened the door some but hotly whispered, "Stay out of it." She went into the lab and closed the door behind her. She felt a heavy sigh rattle her chest and she tried to ignore her upset and frustration.

Katia slowly went back to her laptop and fell into her chair. She stared at her screen and tried to figure out what got Mike so worried. She knew of the rumours quite well from Haley but she didn't think they were spreading to her circle of friends. She tried to push it to the back of her mind and she put her right hand back on the notebook. She pulled up her Internet Explorer and went to google.com to do a search. She bit her lower lip as her fingers lightly tapped on the keypad. Katia sighed and typed in date rape drug on the google search.

Katia instantly got page after page worth of results and she scanned the first page. She finally decided on what looked to be a useful link. She clicked on it, picked up her notebook and settled in onto her lap as she scooted back into her chair.

***

Mike stared at the closed door and tried to wonder how that all just happened. He was extremely upset at Katia's reaction but he just shook it off. He turned around and stalked out of the building to go back to his dorm. As he strolled across campus, he repeated the conversation in his head and wondered why Katia refused to confront anything anymore.

He knew he had his own share of problems like most people but he knew when it was time to face them. He couldn't understand why Katia shied from them and even feared them. When he reached the dorm steps, he finally decided he didn't care what Katia would do to him. He had made up his mind to talk to Ashley about it since she seemed to be the only one able to talk sense into Katia.

Mike walked down the cluster and he hesitated to go into his room. Instead he went to Erin and Katia's room, he knocked on the door.

"Come in," yelled Sara from inside the room.

Mike opened it and stepped in then shut the door.

"Hey, Mikie," greeted Erin from her bed. She gave a wave.

Sara was sitting on Katia's bed at the foot. She smiled at Mike but lost it when she realized he wasn't in a good mood. "What's wrong, Mikie?"

"I talked to Katia," whispered Mike. He walked around Erin's bed and sat down when Erin moved her legs out of the way.

"Wasn't so good huh?" probed Erin.

Mike shook his head. "I asked her if she'd talked to Bobby about that rumour."

Sara perked up at what he told them. "What'd she say?"

Erin already knew the answer. She rolled onto her side and brushed her curly hair out of the way as her focus remained on Mike.

"She told me to mind my own business basically."

"Then what?" urged the curious Sara. "She smack you?" Her teasing grin plastered her face in hopes it'd relax Mike but it failed.

Mike exhaled deeply and said, "Almost." He glanced at Erin then back at Sara. "I told her if she didn't talk to him about it that I'd… tell Ashley."

Erin instantly cringed because she could image just how much that would piss off Katia. "I'm surprise to see you're still walking."

"Yeah, you're lucky." Sara leaned back and put her hands behind her to prop her up. "She'd torn my head off if I said that."

"Well it's not like she's not use to me being all up in her koolaid." Mike's slight attempt at humour didn't help his upset.

"Are you going to really tell Ashley?" inquired Erin.

"I don't know." Mike shook his head a little. "I don't want her to get hurt."

"Yeah we know," agreed Erin. She fell silent as she thought about the various consequences.

"You think Ashley would be able to do anything anyway?" Sara looked between her girlfriend and Mike. "I mean seriously, Katia loves Ashley but even Ashley has only so much leverage with Katia." She shrugged then added, "I mean who's to say Katia just won't get even more pissed at us all then pull away."

Erin felt a frown tug at her lips. "Sara's right." She looked at Mike again. "If we get Ashley involved it'll just make it a whole lot worse."

"Then what the hell should we do?" Mike felt his frustration rising back up again. "I mean we can't just let her date a rapist, I mean seriously here." He looked between the two women and he waited for some answer.

"Okay… okay… let's think here," stated Erin. "Forcing Katia doesn't work, involving Ashley won't work either."

"What will then?" muttered Mike.

Sara lifted her head from staring at the floor. "What about proof?" She watched as Mike and Erin seemed to brighten up at the idea.

"What kind of… proof though?" Mike lifted his eyebrow. "A video tape of him raping somebody?" He huffed at the bad joke. "Even if we confronted her with the proof, would she believe us?"

"Maybe not us," agreed Erin, "but she would if it was Ashley."

"Who better than a cop?" muttered Sara.

"Wait, wait Thelma and Louse." Mike huffed and held up a hand for a moment. "Think about this… if we get Ashley, a Maryland State Trooper, involved with a roofies dealer slash possible rapist this will be more than just a break up."

"He's right, Sara." Erin's amber eyes rested on her girlfriend. "Getting Ashley in this is getting the law involved."

"And personally, I know Katia will freak if she has to go to court and all." Mike pulled up his legs and rested his feet on the edge of the bed.

"Well it's not like Bobby should be on this campus anyway," protested Sara. "I mean if he is raping girls on campus something needs to be done." She looked wide eye at her friends. "And if he's dealing roofies, what you think the other guys are doing with that shit? Using it on themselves?"

Mike sighed and started to rub his temples. "This is getting complicated."

"Wait." Erin sighed in frustration. She pulled her legs up and sat up in the bed and tried to position herself to look at both her friends. "I agree Bobby needs to be turned in if he is a rapist and or dealer." She paused and looked between her friends. "Right?"

"Yes," agreed Sara.

Mike simply nodded his head.

"Second, we need to get Katia away from him before something happens." Erin saw them both nod their heads. "The best way to do that is prove it to her… once she has her proof she won't argue it." She chewed on her upper lip some as she considered it. "Getting Ashley in it will definitely mean the law."

"We need to if it's true," protested Sara. "I'm not going to hide a dealing rapist if I know one."

"Okay… maybe we can get Ashley to talk to Katia before bringing in the law stuff."

"I think it's all going to happen together," objected Mike. "Honestly, I'm sure there will be other witnesses and possible victims against Bobby. So I doubt Katia would go to court anyway."

"That's true," agreed Sara. "At least, let's hope."

"Okay so that means we first need our proof," started Erin, "next talk to Ashley then lastly save Katia."

"I thought this whole thing was for saving Katia," joked Mike.

Sara just rolled her eyes.

"Whatever, Mike," muttered Erin.

Mike grinned but lost it as another thought occurred to him. "So… how are we going to get this proof?"

***

Katia sat down in the driver's seat, put the flowers on the passenger seat with her purse, and then she shut her car door. She removed her cell phone from her chest pocket on her jacket then pulled up Ashley's number. It rang a few times then Ashley finally answered.

"Hey, Ash." Katia was busy putting her car key into the ignition. "Yeah I'm good." She tilted her head to the right until her phone just held in place by her shoulder and side of her head. "Yeah if you're home now I'd like to stop by." She reached back and grabbed her seat belt and buckled it. She lifted her head back up when her hand wrapped around the cell phone. "I'm over at the grocery store. I picked up some flowers to put on the pincher's grave."

Katia turned the key in her ignition. "I'll be there in a few minutes." She paused then smiled some. "Uh huh. Okay… bye." She pulled the phone away and closed it up. Katia took a moment to think as she stared at the cars around hers in the parking lot. She finally put her car into reverse, carefully backed out, went into drive, and then headed for route 13.

After getting back from the computer lab earlier today, Katia returned to her room. She didn't find anybody in the room so she shrugged it off and decided to do a little of her homework. Around three-thirty she sent a message to Ashley to see if they could spend time together. Ashley easily agreed and said she'd be home in half an hour from work. Katia was a little surprised her friend was working on a Saturday but she figured it must have been makeup for last week.

Katia was now just turning down Sharptown Road and her annoyed mood from earlier today seemed to fade away. She felt excited about seeing Ashley like always no matter the nature of their talks.

Katia flipped her left blinker on and pulled into Ashley's driveway. After getting her car parked, she turned it off and hopped out with her purse and the flowers. She noted there was still some daylight left and she guessed about another half an hour or so. And before she even reached Ashley's front door, she heard it open and saw Ashley slouching the doorway with a smile.

"What took you?" teased Ashley.

Katia slightly laughed and approached her friend. "You know… long drive." She crinkled up her nose some then grinned at Ashley's amused expression. She noted how Ashley's cool blue eyes lowered to the flowers in her hands.

"For me, K? Really… you shouldn't have."

Katia just rolled her eyes, stepped up and patted her friend on the stomach. "Don't you wish." She started to remove her purse from her shoulder. She turned and hung it up but paused when she saw Ashley's grinning face.

"A girl can wish," teased back the trooper.

Katia studied her friend's soft face and then abruptly turned away. "Right," she chided and walked towards the patio glass door.

"I'll come with you," announced Ashley. "Hold on." She turned some and yanked her jacket free from a hook. She swung her black down-feathered jacket on as she walked over to Katia.

Katia had her right hand on the wood doorhandle while in her other hand was the bundle of flowers. Her eyes rested on her best friend and when Ashley came over, she yanked open the sliding glass door.

Ashley ducked out of the house and stepped outside first.

Katia went out next, spun around and slid the door shut then faced Ashley. She just stood there and sighed as she stared out over the open backyard.

Ashley just finished zipping up her jacket then peered over at the younger woman. She could read the distress all over Katia's face. She held out her hand and whispered, "Come on."

Katia took the larger hand and held tightly. She followed along side Ashley to the woods then carefully stepped over a fallen tree when they entered the woods.

Ashley recalled the exact spot and slowed down when she saw the disturbed ground.

Katia inhaled until her chest was filled. Her hands slipped from Ashley's and she took a few more steps closer, bent down, and carefully placed the flowers on the pincher's bed.

Ashley slid her hands into her jacket pockets and just waited. As she waited, she studied Katia's profile and tried to guess what her best friend was thinking about right now. She slightly tilted her head and continued to carefully watch the emotions float across Katia's face. She was always amazed how expressive Katia's face was and she always wondered if Katia knew how much she gave herself away.

Katia finally broke from her thoughts and prayers for the pincher. She gradually rose up and turned to her best friend. Without so much as a signal, she stepped up to Ashley and hugged her.

The trooper was surprised and it took her a moment to pull her hands out from her pockets.

Katia let out a relieved breath when strong arms circled around her back and held onto her. She turned her head until she rested the side of her head against Ashley's chest. Her mossy eyes gradually closed.

Ashley started to run her right hand up and down Katia's back, a soothing idle comfort. She tilted her head down and kissed the top of Katia's head then whispered, "Are you okay?"

Katia's only response was tightening her arms around Ashley.

Ashley returned the hold by pulling Katia's body closer against hers and just remained quiet for awhile longer. As she spent more time with Katia, Ashley was starting to figure out her friend and this past week had reopened old wounds for Katia. While holding Katia, Ashley considered what was going on in her life. Right now it was her girlfriend that needed her yet here she was holding onto her best friend.

Ashley rested her right cheek against the top of Katia's head; she stared at the pincher's grave. Slowly her eyebrows creased together as she continued to compare Katia and Laurel. They both were rape victims but Katia and Laurel handled their situations very differently. Katia recalled every last detail of her rape up until her blackout however Laurel was never drugged and could not recall a thing. Laurel immediately went to a hospital and reported the rape but Katia; she denies it and doubtfully has ever gone to a hospital or even a rape crisis centre.

Ashley inhaled deeply and she closed her eyes when another thought occurred to her. Laurel thrived off of Ashley's attention and expected any and all support. Katia never once expected anything from Ashley nor ever sought Ashley for help with her problems. It was as if Katia believed she herself was the only one to fight her problems and there was nobody there for her. Ashley could not imagine what kind of tests and fights she would have to go through to get Katia to completely open up to her, to trust her.

Ashley tried to hide her sigh as she lifted her head back up. "Let's get inside before it get's any darker."

Katia opened her eyes and her view was of the setting sun through the trees. She lifted her head back up and slightly nodded to Ashley. She gave one last hard squeeze then pulled back from her best friend.

Ashley gave a warm smile and felt better when Katia mirrored it back. Ashley then led the way out of the woods and walked along side Katia back to the house.

When they got back inside, they both hung up their jackets and walked over to the sofa. Katia flopped back into and the cool leather that started to warm up around her. Ashley sat down beside her and stretched her long legs out, her feet somewhat pushing against the coffee table.

"How'd work go?"

The state trooper stretched out her arms over her body. She sighed contently when her arms flopped into her lap. She nodded then replied, "Pretty good."

Katia brushed back a few strands of blond hair behind her ear. "You still working on that case?"

"Yeah," admitted Ashley. She looked over at her friend. "And don't ask."

The college student lightly chuckled. She pulled up her right leg onto the sofa and turned so she could face her best friend. "Why'd they give you a case anyway?" She tilted her head some. "Aren't you still suppose to be on the roads… streets?"

"Technically, yes since I'm a first sergeant." Ashley looked over when her friend had a confused look. "My captain is training me."

"For what?" Katia laced her hands together in her lap.

Ashley's lips tug with a grin. "Being a detective."

"What?" Katia brightened at the news. "Seriously?"

"Uh huh." Ashley dropped her head back against the sofa. "In about two years or so."

"That's awhile," muttered Katia. She noted Ashley closing her eyes. "Are you happy about it?"

Ashley let out a deep sigh and shrugged. "I guess… I like field work."

"Well there is a lot of field work in detective work," admitted Katia.

The trooper slightly laughed at her friend. "It's not Sherlock Holmes, Katia… it’s a lot of paperwork, interrogation work." She opened her eyes and peered over at her friend. "It's not simply writing out a ticket or chasing down the burglar."

"Exactly," agreed Katia. "You'll be perfect for detective work, Ash."

"How you figure?" probed the state trooper.

The younger woman was shaking her head, an amused expression on her face. "Because you're extremely smart, efficient, hard working… hell being neat, organized, and meticulous are apart of good detective work." She paused while considering Ashley as a detective. "And physically… you're perfect for it."

Ashley grumbled now.

"What?" shot back Katia, a grin on her face.

The trooper chuckled and covered her face with her hands. "You just reminded me I need to get signed up for a gym." She dropped her hands back in her lap. "I'm really behind in that." She looked over at her friend. "I have to be at my base the weekend following Thanksgiving." She sighed and muttered, "My ass is going to be kicked that weekend since I haven't worked out in so long."

"Tomorrow we'll go check out the gyms around here," offered Katia. "I wouldn't mind working out again." She patted her stomach and joked, "I need to lose some weight."

Ashley lifted an eyebrow and eyed her friend's stomach. "Yeah sure… what you weigh? Fifty pounds?"

Katia swatted her older friend and replied, "A hundred and fifteen."

"Christ," muttered Ashley. "I wish I did."

"No, no." Katia shook her head and crinkled up her nose. "'That'd be too skinny."

Ashley chuckled and looked down at her legs. She crossed her ankles then dropped her head back against the sofa. "I just have a lot of muscle."

Katia rubbed the back of her neck while saying, "And muscle weighs more than fat if I recall right."

"It does," agreed Ashley. She then had a curious look when she turned her head to Katia. "Does Salisbury have a criminology department?"

Katia opened her mouth to reply but she didn't say anything as she really thought about it. "You know…." Her attention centred on Ashley's face. "I don't think they do really. Salisbury's main field is Business then the Arts… a little Computer Information."

"Damn," muttered Ashley.

"Washington College doesn't have much either," thought aloud Katia.

"Chestertown is too far away," complained Ashley.

Katia came out of her musing and nodded at Ashley. "Yeah it takes me at least an hour and half to get up there."

"Two hours," countered Ashley. "What speed do you go?"

The college student suddenly smiled sheepishly. "Sixty-five or seventy."

"Ahha." Ashley chuckled and folded her hands over her stomach. "No wonder."

"Oh wait." Katia's expression brightened up. "Chesapeake… they have a decent criminology department."

"Chesapeake College?" questioned the trooper.

"Yyyeah." Katia snapped her fingers as a smile appeared. "I'm pretty sure they do. I've heard a few other students at SU talk about it."

"Isn't Chesapeake a two year college?"

"Yeah it is… some of the people I know transferred from there." Katia shifted some on the sofa and got more comfortable. "They told me it's pretty cool. You can go there to either get an Associates Degree or you tell them you want to transfer to another college like UMD or Salisbury… tell them your major. Then they'll set you up with a plan to transfer out all your credits to a four year college." Katia quietly laughed at herself then added, "I remember thinking to myself I should have done that because it would have been a whole lot cheaper."

"SU isn't private though." Ashley had a confused look.

"No it's not but they still like a nice chunk of change for tuition." Katia folded her arms over her chest. "Chesapeake runs like… a thousand to fifteen hundred a semester for full time students."

Ashley nodded her head.

Katia then furrowed her eyebrows and asked, "Why? Are you thinking about going to college?"

"Yeah, actually," confessed Ashley. She straightened up some and said, "I figure if I'm going to be a detective I need some eduction." She shrugged and added, "Plus I think my captain was kind of hinting it to me."

Katia smiled at her friend but she slowly lost it as she considered something. "I think…." She focused her attention back on Ashley. "The state will pay for it, won't they?"

"Yes, everything would be free for me." Ashley slightly grinned. "I think the Maryland Police will pay for my tuition and I might be able to get the Army to cover my books." She shrugged as her grin slipped. "It's not a question of money for me just… where honestly."

"Well Chesapeake is a good place to start," recommended Katia. "It’s the closest too. They might even have classes in Cambridge too. Chesapeake is suppose to have a campus there." Katia went silent as she tried to think about where Ashley would go after two years at Chesapeake College. "I guess you would transfer to UMD."

"Yeah, I think so," agreed Ashley. "University of Maryland is suppose to have a huge criminology department."

"Hell UMD is huge on its own." Katia chuckled then grinned. "Have you ever been to College Park? That place is a town in itself. That's why I never went to UMD… was too paranoid I'd get lost when I went to class everyday."

Ashley slightly laughed at her friend. "It's not that bad."

"Yeah right," chided Katia, her head shaking. "That is just too many people for my taste." Slowly a smile eased back on her lips. "You should check into Chesapeake. You could start in the spring."

"I'll look into it," agreed Ashley. "I might wait until the fall though… I have a feeling this case I'm working on might be a bit."

"You could start in the summer," suggested Katia.

"Maybe."

"Wait!" Katia laughed and grabbed her friend's closest hand. "If you go during the summer that means we could see each other."

Ashley rolled her eyes. "Like we wouldn't otherwise?"

"Welllll… you'll be close by… sort of." Katia's smile faltered some but she formed it again. "Wye Mills isn't that far from Chestertown. You just follow 213 for like half an hour or you can go down 301 and catch 544."

Ashley's head was spinning with route numbers so she shook her head. "Wait… wait, K." She laughed a little and patted the younger woman's hand then pulled her hand free. "Let me first look into everything." She watched as Katia pouted at her. "I can't promise anything yet." Katia pouted even more at her and Ashley almost growled at her. "I will try, okay?" She narrowed her bright blue eyes at Katia. "Mmmaybe," she emphasised, "this summer."

Katia squealed and suddenly jumped forward. She threw her arms around Ashley's neck and jerked Ashley's head against her chest. "This'll be great!"

Ashley growled and tried to free herself from Katia's grasp. "Katia," she warned.

"Oh sorry." Katia laughed and released her friend. "I'm serious though, it'll mean I could see more of you."

"I know." Ashley tried not to laugh at the situation but her racing heart was keeping her busy enough. She took a deep breath in hopes it'll settle her heart rate. "I'll see, okay?"

"Okay… thank you." Katia smiled warmly at her best friend.

Ashley couldn't resist her own smile at seeing her friend so happy. She sank back into her original spot and felt content now again. She was about to ask Katia something but a cell phone started to ring.

Katia smirked and teased, "Your butt is ringing."

Ashley grumbled and leaned forward as she slipped her hand into her back pocket of her jeans. When she had the small Samsung phone up, she saw it was Laurel Fielding on the Caller ID. "Crap," she muttered and flipped the phone open.

Katia suddenly had a perplexed look.

"Hey baby," greeted Ashley.

Katia let out a cross between a sigh and grumble. She knew she was jealous of Laurel to some extent and she felt guilty about it.

"No, nothing much really," replied Ashley. She leaned forward and probed her elbows on her knees. "How are you feeling?" She stared down at her feet but from the corner of her eye she could see Katia staring at her. "You did?" Ashley straightened up abruptly. She didn't look at Katia but she reached over and squeezed her friend's right knee on the sofa. She then got up and walked towards the hallway. "What were the results?"

Katia watched her friend go into the computer room and quietly closed the door. "Argh," she muttered and fell back into the sofa. She covered her face with her hands and closed her eyes against the bright light overhead on the ceiling. "Why do I hate her so much?" she muffled between her hands. "Dislike… dislike, Katia." She dropped her hands from her face and opened her eyes, slightly blinded by the ceiling light. "The poor woman was raped and I'm being bitchy."

Katia finally stopped talking to herself and instead listened for any part of Ashley's conversation. She could make out Ashley's voice down the hall but she couldn't understand any of it. She knew she hated or rather disliked Laurel to an extreme amount, which was rare for Katia but this woman rubbed Katia the wrong way. She felt protective over Ashley when it came to Laurel and didn't want Ashley with Laurel regardless of the rape incident. Katia knew there was no way to separate Ashley from Laurel unless something went terrible wrong or somebody better came into Ashley's life. Ashley's situation somewhat reminded Katia of her situation with Bobby and how both her and Ashley let themselves get trapped.

Ashley and Laurel's relationship really frustrated Katia and more than she let on to most people. In the back of Katia's mind, she knew this woman was out to hurt Ashley but she couldn't prove it. Katia suddenly grumbled at her thoughts about Laurel and she once again covered her face with her hands. Her mind skipped back to her fight with Mike and slowly her heart filled with regret for what happened. She now completely understood where Mike was coming from and why he felt the way he did.

Katia put her hands onto her stomach and tried to concentrate on Ashley's voice again. She became puzzled when she realized she couldn't hear Ashley at all. So she quickly sat up and swung her right leg off the sofa and tried to concentrate even harder but still nothing.

Katia slid off the sofa and walked through the living room and into the hallway. She came to the slightly jarred door and gently tapped on the door. "Ash?" She pushed the door open and found her best friend sitting on a desk chair and she was just staring at the floor, her face horrified. "Ashley?" She came over and bent down in front of the older woman. "What's wrong?" She slightly shivered when hollow blue eyes lifted to her.

Ashley stared at Katia, the expression on Ashley's face made her look lost. Finally she whispered to Katia, "Laurel… she's… pregnant."

**To be continued…**


	13. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Katia just stared at Ashley and attempted to absorb what she just told her. She finally felt reality sink in with her and she laced her hands through Ashley's. "She's definitely positive?"

Ashley swallowed then faintly nodded, her eyes dull and glazed with uncertain emotions. Slowly her eyes focused down on Katia. "The doctor tested her," she whispered. She inhaled but when she did her body automatically shook from fear. "She already asked me what I wanted to do."

Katia bit her lower lip some as she studied her best friend. "What'd you say?"

"The only thing I could… that I wasn't sure," admitted Ashley. Her blue eyes had dissolved into an almost grey and now she stared down at her hands that were laced by Katia's slim fingers.

Katia remained silent but she idly rubbed her thumb across Ashley's knuckles. As she thought about it, her resentment flared up towards Laurel for putting Ashley in this situation. She tried to steady her breathing and not let her emotions get the best of her. "I think…." She hesitated and took a steady breath. "You need to leave her, Ashley." When questioning grey eyes lifted to her, she explained herself. "Ashley, she's not right for you and if you commit to her on this level… then it’s a little more permanent." She shrugged then added, "The truth is, I'm just jealous and I want to be the only woman in your life." She watched as Ashley lifted an eyebrow at her and she finally broke out with a grin on her face. She could only hope the attempt at humour would relax Ashley.

Ashley slowly smiled then chuckled as she repeated what Katia said.

"Seriously," urged Katia, "in my opinion, it's not right, Ash."

"I know," quietly admitted the older woman.

Katia tilted her head to one side and her expression fell into curiosity. "Then why do you stay with her?"

"I'm… really not sure." Ashley slightly dipped her head and shook it. "I really don't know."

"Ash, you could do so much better than her." Katia slightly moved her head so she could look up into Ashley's eyes. "Even I know any lesbian, bi, or guy would kill to date you."

Ashley actually chuckled at her friend. "I'm not so sure about that."

"Come on, Ashley." Katia lifted her own eyebrow in contest. She slightly grinned though when she noted the questioning look on Ashley's face. "Let me put it this way." Her grin slightly broadened. "I know I find you incredibly attractive and beautiful." Slowly her grin slipped though. "Ash, you're very intelligent, easy to get along with… you're just amazing."

Ashley slightly grinned in response then lowered her head closer to Katia's. "K, are you hitting on me?"

Katia just brush her off with a small laugh but she dropped her head forward to press her forehead against Ashley's. "No," she whispered, "just telling you what I see."

"How can you see that?" uttered back Ashley. She watched as a smirk crossed Katia's lips.

"Are you calling me a liar?" teased the younger woman. She pulled back until her eyes met with Ashley's again. "You need a better girlfriend, Ash." She squeezed Ashley's hands tightly then stood up while releasing the larger hands.

Ashley straightened up and slightly tilted back to look up at her friend. "Are you volunteering, K?"

Katia rolled her eyes and walked over to the door but she called, "If I was a lesbian."

The state trooper smirked at Katia's retreating figure. "You didn't say you weren't," she muttered then she stood up. She grabbed her cell phone off the desk and when her hand covered it, she heard a cell phone ringing. She knew it wasn't hers then in the living room she heard Katia answering hers. "Hmmm." She put her cell phone in her back pocket then strolled out into the hallway towards the living room. She noted Katia sitting on the sofa and talking on her cell phone.

"Yeah, I just need like an hour. Is that okay?" Katia slightly smiled but she lost it. "Are we getting dinner too?" She peered up when Ashley stood over her then she smiled at Ashley sitting beside her. "I can eat, you know me." She giggled a little and covered her mouth with her hand. Her hand dropped back into her lap then her head bobbed. "Alright, Bobby… I'll see you soon." She paused then said, "Bye." She pulled her silver phone away and flipped it shut.

"Date?" inquired the older woman.

Katia looked at the state trooper. "Yyyeah, we're going to the movies." She shrugged then said, "He wants to see Under the Tuscan Sun."

Ashley gradually lifted an eyebrow. "Chic flic."

Katia laughed at the joke. "Yeah, I know… I was surprised too." Her nose crinkled up some then she added, "I thought he'd one to see some shoot 'em up movie." She shrugged.

"I heard it's suppose to be good." Ashley considered the previews that she saw on television. "A romantic comedy."

"It looks good." Although Katia shrugged in thought. "Romantic comedy works for me."

Ashley suddenly smirked and teased, "Maybe he's trying a new approach with you."

Katia just rolled her eyes at her friend. "Whatever… no way." She suddenly sprung up from her spot on the couch. "Romantic movies don't get me turned on… like that." She went over to the jacket hooks by the door and grabbed her grey wool jacket. She spun around as she was putting it on and she faintly glared at Ashley's amused face.

"Damn," muttered Ashley and she pushed herself up from the sofa. "I guess that plan won't work."

Katia had her jacket on finally and was adjusting the collar. "What plan is that?"

The state trooper slowly approached her friend while saying, "Trying to seduce you."

Katia laughed at her friend as Ashley smiled at her. "Sorry, you'll have to think of something else." She reached down and zipped up her jacket.

Ashley came to the corner of the wall near the jacket hook board. She leaned against it and folded her arms over her chest. "I guess so."

Katia grabbed her red corduroy purse and brought the strap over her shoulder. She stepped up to Ashley and softly smiled up at her. "Besides…." She reached out and grasped Ashley's hip. "You're dating, Ashley." Her expression went smug and her eyes glowed at Ashley.

"Hmmm." The state trooper pretended to think about it but she lowered her head remotely closer to Katia's. "Has anybody mentioned to you that you're a tease?" She controlled her growling urge to lower her head down any more and take Katia's lips.

"Just for you," whispered Katia. She released her hands from the older woman's hips but she made sure to pat Ashley's firm stomach. "God put me on this earth just so I could tease you." She winked then turned around to go to the door.

"I think he did," quietly agreed Ashley as she straightened up and walked her friend to the door. She grabbed the door before Katia and opened it for her. Her right hand rested on the top of the doorframe, holding it.

Katia pushed open the screen door next but she hesitated to open it any wider. She took a step back, her hand still on the knob, but she partially turned to Ashley. She peered up at Ashley.

Ashley slightly tensed because she saw the seriousness in Katia's eyes.

"Just… just give it time?" quietly asked Katia.

Ashley wasn’t quite sure what 'it' was but Katia's request for help seemed to give her some hope that she never had at all. "I will." With her free hand, she grasped Katia's shoulder and squeezed. "I promise, Katia." When that faint but unusual smile crossed Katia's lips, it seemed to lighten Katia's eyes into a rare shade of turquoise. Katia simply nodded then opened the screen door and was instantly swallowed by the cold evening air.

"Tomorrow?" inquired Ashley, her hand now holding the screen door open. "You, me, and a gym… right?"

Katia took a few steps away down the patio. "Yes, give me a call tomorrow morning."

"What time?" called Ashley.

Katia turned around and walked backwards to her car. "Anytime is good." She shrugged.

The state trooper smirked and asked, "Five AM?"

"Add five hours to that," joked Katia.

"Ten then," agreed Ashley. "Have a goodnight."

"You too." Katia smiled then stopped when she stepped onto the pavement driveway. "And give this whole relationship thing some thinking, Ash."

"Will do," replied Ashley but she wasn't so convinced she would do it. "Go on." She gave a brief wave then yelled, "See yah, K."

"Night, Ash." Katia flashed a bright smile then spun around and hurried to her car. She pulled her car keys from her jacket pocket and hopped into her car.

Ashley took a step back and let the screen door quietly close. She watched as her friend started her car and her headlights come on afterwards. She took a few steps back then shut the main door once she was convinced Katia was on her way.

***

Katia pierced a broccoli piece with her fork and she dragged it through the beef sauce. She lifted her fork and managed to fit the broccoli into her mouth. She thoughtfully munched on it while she considered what Bobby just told her. "I don't know… I just dislike that it's not about justice and only about revenge."

Bobby was shaking his head as he cut another piece from his Egg Fu Yong. "Katia, they bombed the World Trade Centre." He poked the piece of Egg Fu Yong with his fork but he didn't lift the morsal to his lips yet. "I mean this Bin Laden doesn't even deserve a trial."

Katia huffed and shook her head as she studied her plater of beef and broccoli. She peered up at Bobby again. "This government is so messed up," she protested. "We go around preaching independence… let freedom ring." She pointed her fork at Bobby then added, "Then we take over Iraq then impose Imperialism on them." She huffed and looked back at her food, deciding to take some beef this time. "But hey, those gas prices are low, right?"

Bobby couldn't recall how this conversation got started in the first place but he was enjoying it to some extent. He was pro-American while his girlfriend came off anti-American yet as they continued to discuss it, he understood that Katia was merely pro-freedom and anti-hatred or revenge.

"I mean who are we to come into a country and overthrow the government?" argued Katia. She sighed and shook her head. "I'll never understand death and violence like that." She grabbed her cup of soda and spun her drink around with her straw. "And no, I don't agree with what happened during 9/11 but I can see why they did it."

"Why'd they do it?" persisted Bobby. He paused from taking more from his Egg Fu Yong and waited for Katia's reply.

"Because this country is a big bully," huffed Katia. "We impose ourselves on other countries to get what we want. That was their response to us bullying other countries around."

Bobby shook his head and said, "But it's not like the UN was doing anything about the fighting."

"They were," protested Katia, "until we butted in." She slightly narrowed her eyes and asked, "Where does it say the U.S. is the peace keeper or the saint?" She rammed her fork into a piece of beef. "What works for one group of people doesn't work for another group."

"Katia, they had no right to destroy the twin towers," protested Bobby.

"So bring them to justice, that's fine," agreed Katia. "But don't seek revenge or think you're liberating the world from terrorism." She raised an eyebrow at him. "And do you realize it was our government that gave Taliban those weapons?"

Bobby wasn't sure what to say so he continued to finish off his Egg Fu Yong.

Katia sighed and quietly ate her meal for awhile.

Bobby pushed his clean plate out of the way and decided to eat the rest of his pork fried rice. He pulled the plate closer to him and started on it next. After he took a shovel through, he quietly said, "You really dislike this country, don't you?"

Katia let out a heavy sigh but she shook her head. "I like America and the original concept of freedom and democracy but lately we've managed to lose sight of those qualities." She took a sip of her sofa and pushed it aside. "I mean, it took the bombing of 9/11 to make Americans patriotic. Suddenly everybody is flying their flags, pride is power, and bumper stickers saying 'Nuke the towel heads.' I mean… it's almost sad." She sighed and as she studied her boyfriend for a moment. "I'm sorry… I'm just a hippie wannabe," she joked, "Make peace not war."

"I think that’s what everybody wants… just some people lose sight of it," reminded Bobby. He finished the last of his pork fried rice and he stacked the plate on top of his other plate then dropped the fork down.

"Yes," quietly agreed Katia, "hatred and revenge are blinding."

Bobby slowly nodded his head then noted Katia was finished with her meal. "Happy?"

Katia slightly smiled now and she patted her stomach. "I think so." She stacked her two plates and dropped her fork down on it. She watched her boyfriend gather up the plates and put them on the red tray.

"I'll be back." Bobby picked up the tray and carried it to the front of the Chinese restaurant to return the items.

Katia quietly waited and drank her soda as she considered what she and Bobby discussed. It was one of the first serious and political conversations she'd ever had with him and she sort of enjoyed it. She also knew she had a lot of unresolved emotions towards the terrorism war and how to take it. In the end, Katia firmly believed in love, support, and justice yet never finding answers with any violence. It was her own personal basis for life and it seemed engraved not only in her heart but her soul. She was passionate about the power of love and she never understood why she was such a firm believer but she never questioned it either.

"Ready?" asked Bobby.

Katia nodded then stood up but made sure to take her drink with her. With Bobby at her side, she left the Chinese restaurant and stepped into the parking lot to return to Bobby's truck. Katia slightly grinned at the yellow Nissan Frontier as a thought occurred to her. "You know what?"

Bobby shot an inquisitive look at Katia as he fished out his car keys.

Katia suddenly had a devilish grin as she stepped closer to him and grabbed his muscular arm. "It takes a real man to own a yellow truck."

Bobby laughed and chided, "Thanks, Katia."

Katia grinned and stopped walking, which made Bobby stop too. She leaned over and captured his lips in a sweet kiss. "No problem," she whispered then pulled away as she continued to the truck.

Bobby had a shy grin but he shook it off and hurried after his girlfriend.

Katia made it around the front of the truck and she waited to hear it unlock. Once it was, she hopped in and felt a chill ripple up her back from the cold seat. She glanced over when Bobby got in next. "I'm exhausted."

"Food seems to do that to you," mentioned Bobby. He started the truck and he quickly reached over to turn the music down that automatically blasted at them.

"Especially with a movie too." Katia lifted her drink and took a long sip from the straw. She then reached over for the seatbelt and buckled it when Bobby pulled out of the parking spot.

"We'll be back at the dorm in a few minutes," reminded Bobby. He reached over with his right hand and rested it on Katia's left inner thigh.

Katia felt a little tense but she urged her body to relax despite the eerie feelings circulating through her body. For some odd reason, his touch recreated long hidden sensations to surge through her that only made her feel dirty.

"You okay?" whispered Bobby. He stole a quick glance at her before hitting the accelerator to turn onto route 13. 

"Yeah, yeah." Katia brushed him off with a fake smile as she leaned back into the warming seat. "Just tireder than I thought."

Bobby faintly grinned; he continued to caress the inside of Katia's thigh. "What you doing tomorrow?"

Katia slightly shrugged then replied, "I think Ashley and I are going to check out the local gyms."

Bobby glanced at his girlfriend then back at the highway. "She's always worked out?"

"She has to keep in shape for the force." She then recalled about the army. "Plus she's in the reserves."

"Really?" Bobby was mildly surprised. "I'm surprised she hasn't gone to the war."

Katia held her breath but she urged herself to let it go. "I never thought about that."

"I doubt she'd be first on the list," concluded Bobby, "since she's a state trooper." He shrugged then added, "Technically she's a bit in service now since she's a trooper looking out for the 'homeland security.'"

"That's true." That made Katia calm down and her fears subside.

Bobby slightly grinned when he noticed how worried Katia suddenly came about the war and Ashley. "You really care about her, huh?"

"Yeah," readily admitted Katia. "She's family." To keep herself from saying anymore, she took a sip from the last of her soda.

Bobby squeezed Katia's leg some in reassurance and he pulled into the Salisbury University student parking. He managed to find an open parking spot and immediately took it. He turned the truck off then he and Katia quietly got out. When they came to Katia's dorm, Bobby stepped into the lobby of the dorm with Katia after deciding it was too cold to stand outside.

"Get some rest," urged Bobby. He softly smiled and pressed his cool hand against Katia's right cheek.

Katia didn't lean into his touch but she shifted closer to him and clasped her free hand behind his head.

Bobby followed the signal and captured his girlfriend's lips in a long kiss.

Katia slowly pulled back and sadly smiled at him as she whispered, "Thanks for tonight."

"Thanks for the date," happily replied Bobby. He gently captured her lips again but then pulled back and made his way down the steps to the large door. "Night, Katia."

"Goodnight, Bobby." Katia smiled at him then turned when he left the dorm. She shifted her purse on her shoulder some then went to the door to her left to go up to the second level. When she made it into the bedroom, she found Erin and Sara in Erin's bed and watching television. Katia smiled at how they happily cuddled with each other in the bed.

Erin lifted her head and offered a smile to Katia.

Sara also smiled but made no attempt to leave her girlfriend's arms. "Hey Katia, how was your night?"

Katia was pulling her cell phone from her jacket pocket while sitting at her desk. "Really good." She checked the time on her cell phone and realized it was ten at night. "What are ya'll watching?" She bent forward in her seat and glanced over at the television.

"Law and Order," replied Erin.

"Yeah it's that SVU version," piped in Sara.

"Oh right." Katia watched as a male and female detective interrogated a suspect. "I like her."

"You mean Olivia?"

Katia looked over at Sara and nodded. "I've seen her before, she's pretty cool."

Sara laughed and said, "She's really hot too." She suddenly felt Erin smack her side and she winced. "But not as hot as Erin," she spoked up louder. Now Erin was rubbing her side where she just received the smack.

Katia just rolled her eyes at the pair and she was prepared to go lay in her bed but a knock at the door stopped her. "Come in," she called.

The door creaked open and Mike poked his head through.

Katia tried not to glare at seeing him.

"Katia, can I talk to you?" inquired Mike and for good measure, he pouted.

Katia put her purse on the desk and without looking at him, she asked, "What you need, Mike?"

"You," whined Mike.

Sara and Erin the entire time were carefully watching the exchange. They could only hope that Mike would resolve the problems between him and Katia.

"Alright." Katia sighed and stood up from her chair. She passed in front of the television then left the dark room to step out into the bright hallway.

"Come inside," offered Mike, he opened the door to his bedroom.

Katia followed him in and closed the door behind her. As soon as she had it shut, she found Mike pulling her into a hug.

Mike pulled Katia in closer and dropped his head against Katia's. "Don't be mad at me," he whispered in hopes it'd calm her and also get her to hug him back.

Katia felt her shoulders slightly slouch and she brought her arms up and around him.

"I'm sorry," pleaded Mike.

Katia exhaled heavily and tightened her arms around him more. "It's okay, Mike."

"You're mad though," further reminded the young man. "I hate when you're mad at me."

"I'm not mad," assured Katia, "not now, Mikie."

"Are you sure?" whispered Mike, his voice filled with worry.

Katia squeezed him tightly and uttered, "Yes."

Mike felt relief flood through him and he managed to hug Katia even harder but loosened after a few seconds. "I just worry about you."

Katia started to rub his back in hopes to sooth him. "I know you do." She slightly pulled back from the hug.

Mike almost felt his heart break when he saw Katia's sad smile and watery green eyes. "Thank you."

Katia somewhat sighed and moved her hands to his hips. "I'm sorry too, Mikie." She tilted her head to the side. "I'm just scared to get Ashley involved at all."

Mike solemnly nodded because he understood why but he decided to ask anyway. "Why?" He finally released Katia and went over to his bed. He patted his bed in offer.

Katia came over to sit but she answered the question. "Not only because she's a cop but because she's protective of me."

Mike huffed and asked, "And like the rest of us aren't? Hello!"

Katia chuckled at his mild joke but she reached over and grasped his knee. "I know but the fact that she's a cop just makes it a little more… risky."

"I know," quietly admitted Mike. "She'd probably be happy to do a hands on strip search of him."

"Mike!" Katia groaned and rolled her eyes. "Thanks for the mental image there."

Mike happily smirked back.

"Seriously, don't talk to her, please." Katia squeezed his knee in hopes to emphasise her point.

"I won't," promised Mike but he didn't bother to mention that Sara and Erin had other plans. "I'll keep it to myself."

"Thank you." Katia felt relieved she had an understanding now with Mike. She pulled her hand away and she knew Mike would switch the topic now.

"Oh guess who is coming by?"

Slowly Katia raised an eyebrow at him. "Maria?"

"Yes!" squealed Mike, his face bright and happy. "I haven't seen Maria in so long."

Katia slightly smirked at her excited friend. "When is she coming?"

"Tuesday," replied Mike, "after class and she's going to stay the night."

Katia abruptly furrowed her eyebrows. "Where is she staying for the night?"

"In my bed." Mike snickered at Katia's dumbfounded look. "Then I can say I slept with a giiirrrl."

Katia instantly laughed and fell back into the bed. "God, Mike… seriously I wonder about you."

Mike looked over at her and grinned at her. "Did I ever tell you about my first girlfriend?" Katia's instant response was to sit up in a flash.

"No," whispered Katia in awe. "Tell me." She wildly grinned when Mike blushed.

Mike tried to calm his blush down as he told his story from his younger teen years. "Well her and I were in my car and we were driving somewhere, I can't recall." Mike slightly waved his hand then continued with his story. "I was driving so she mentioned she needed a napkin out of my glove compartment."

Katia's grin grew at the way Mike's blush returned.

"So she started to lean forward right when I reached across to the glove compartment." Mike paused and laughed some but quickly said, "My hand hit her boob and I literally screamed and started to frantically apologize."

Katia suddenly bursted out laughing.

"Oooh I'm so sorry I touched your boob, I didn't meant to do that. I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He paused as Katia just rolled over laughing even harder. He heard her settle some so he finished his story. "After that I realized I wasn't exactly comfortable with women and we broke up."

Katia chuckled a few more times then straightened up from leaning to the side. She now leaned against Mike and slipped her arm through his. "I'm sorry, Mikie."

"No… it's funny," he agreed, a grin glued to his face. "She thought it was hilarious too."

"I'm glad she took it okay." Katia snickered a little.

Mike simply rolled his eyes. "We were still good friends and all."

"That's good," agreed Katia and she felt a smile take her.

Mike returned the smile then he slightly bumped his shoulder against Katia's. "Can we go out to dinner Monday night?"

Katia slowly smirked at him for a response.

"What?" protested Mikie.

"Let me guess, that Mexican place, right?"

"It's called Taco Bell," joked Mike and he laughed at Katia's glare.

"I'm not eating there, Mike."

Mikie chuckled a few more times and grabbed Katia's hand. "I know, I'm just kidding. It's called Tapatia."

"Oh I like the name," agreed Katia. Slowly she started to nod her head. "Okay, it's a date."

"You're the best!" Mike laughed and grabbed his friend for a bear hug.

Katia laughed and patted his arms over her chest. When he let her go, she stood up and started for the door. "And I'm going to bed."

"Stay and play with me," protested Mike, his bottom lip pouting some. "You can sleep with me too."

"No thanks." Katia laughed and grabbed the doorknob. "I'm tired."

Mike stood up and came over to give Katia a goodnight hug. "Sleep well."

"Goodnight, Mikie." Katia gave a brief squeeze then let go. She stepped out of the room to return to her room.

Mike closed the door and listened to Katia going back into her room. He happily sighed knowing that she wasn't mad at him anymore. He was realizing at times it wasn't easy keeping the peace with Katia.

Katia came back into the bedroom and found that Sara and Erin hadn't moved an inch.

"You two must have kissed and made out," joked Sara. Instantly she was shot a glare for her remark.

"No but yes we're okay now." Katia sat on the foot of her bed and started untying her boots. "How long does this show go on for?"

"Until like one in the morning," replied Erin.

"Oh great," muttered Katia. She finished getting ready for bed and disappeared out of the bedroom to go to the cluster bathroom.

Sara tilted her head back and looked at Erin. "We're meeting with Haley tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah." Erin had her head propped up by her hand but she lowered her head closer to Sara's. "Mikie is coming too."

"Haley say if she had any ideas?"

Erin slightly shook her head. "I didn't get a chance to explain the situation. She was busy and had to go."

Sara frowned a little and looked back at the tv. "You think she'll have any ideas?" Again she tilted her head back and peered up into soft amber eyes.

"I think so," assured Erin. "Haley has connections."

"I hope so," whispered Sara, a hint of doubt touched her voice.

Erin lowered her head back down and uttered, "It'll be okay, Sara." She then kissed Sara, not being able to resist Sara's full lips anymore.

Sara softly moaned and returned the kiss. She then faintly made out the sound of Katia coming out of the bathroom and she abruptly broke away in time before Katia came back.

Erin murmured a growl in Sara's ear as she lifted her head back up to watch the television.

Sara slightly shivered from arousal but she attempted to focus on the show.

Katia had come in and settled into her bed for the night. She remained quiet and watched the show with her friends. It wasn't long before she drifted off to sleep and long before either Sara or Erin would sleep.

**To be continued…**


	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Katia pulled on her pair of dark khaki pants and quickly zipped and buttoned them up. She reached up to brush back some of her long wet blond hair behind her right ear. She stared in her closest and debated about what to wear for a top. Suddenly her decision making was cut off by her cell phone ringing on her desk.

Katia rushed over to her desk and grabbed her LG phone and flipped it open. "Hey." Suddenly a smile broke across her face. "Yeah, I'm getting ready now." She wrapped her left arm around her stomach just under her black bra. "Yeah sure that works. I'll be here." She chuckled a little then said, "Bye, Ash." She pulled the phone away and clicked on the End button before closing it up.

Carefully, she slid the phone back into the cradle charger and returned to her closest. "What the hell do you wear when you're looking at gyms?" she muttered in annoyance. She finally gave up and just grabbed her white blouse knowing white pretty much went with anything. She slipped it on and slowly buttoned it up but the knock at her door caught her off guard. "Hold on," she called. She was halfway up and continued buttoning as she walked over to the door. She figured it was Mike or maybe Sara but Sara had grown a habit of just walking in without knocking.

Katia left the top two buttons undone and grabbed the door. She smiled when she saw Bobby in the cluster hallway. "Hey."

"How are you?" Bobby offered a warm smiled and stepped into the bedroom. "I thought you'd be gone by now."

"No, Ashley is on the way though." Katia took a few steps backwards then finally turned around. She went to her closest again and retrieved her pair of black Sketcher boots. "How are you doing?" She asked while going over to her bed with her boots in her right hand.

Bobby sat down on Katia's desk chair. "Pretty good." He stretched his leg out some then slouched in the chair. "What you doing this afternoon?"

Katia sighed as she bent forward to tie her boots. "I'm not sure really. I luckily don't have much class work… did some Saturday while I was in the lab."

Bobby nodded his head and peered over at Katia.

Katia could tell her boyfriend had something on his mind so she asked, "Why?"

The young man shrugged then quietly said, "Just wanted to see if you felt like spending time together."

Katia was caught in midmotion of tying her right boot. She finished her tying and straightened up; she slightly warmed at his kind gesture. "When I get back from gym hunting, I'll stop by."

A smile instantly formed on Bobby's face and he nodded. "I'll be there."

Katia chuckled some but more out of amusement. She gathered herself up and stood but with a bit of a stretch to her legs.

"What you doing for Thanksgiving?" inquired Bobby, he peered up at his girlfriend.

Katia's lips creased together and she shifted so that her back pressed against Erin's footboard of her bed. "I'm going with Ashley to her mom's." If she thought she would regret telling Bobby, she figured out she might more than regret it.

"You're not going home?" argued the slowly irritated boyfriend.

Katia steadied herself with a deep breath. "No," she carefully replied, "Ashley invited me to go with her."

Bobby's eyes slitted and his hands clenched up on his legs. "Well I was going to invite you to go with me." His voice was cold and icy.

Katia reframed from fidgeting under his cold stare. "Thank you." Her voice was sincere but it didn't seem to sooth her boyfriend's annoyance.

"Is this how it's always going to be?" prompted Bobby.

Katia blinked, totally misunderstanding the question. "How what's always going to be?"

Bobby shook his head, his dark expression having yet to falter. "Me competing for your time and attention over Ashley?" He slowly rose up to face Katia. "I'm your boyfriend." He stepped up to her and locked eyes with her. "She's just your best friend."

Katia held her breath and straightened up from leaning against the bed post. "She is my family," she firmly stated.

Bobby folded his arms against his chest. "I see." He went silent and bit off numerous harsh words to throw at Katia. "You mind as well date her."

Katia had capped off her temper earlier but her control was starting to fail her. "I will if you don't back off," she quickly challenged.

Shock flashed across Bobby's face briefly but his brown eyes grew darker still, almost black. "It wouldn't surprise me… that damn dyke converting you."

Katia fisted her hands up at her side and she fought the urge to put her fist into the footboard. "Don't call her that, Bobby." Her voice shook with anger but controlled anger.

"That's what she is," reminded Bobby. He was hoping to push Katia off the edge but he wasn't and he grounded his teeth. He quickly moved over to the door but spun around to face his girlfriend. "If you spent half as much time with me as you do with her, this relationship would be a little more realistic."

Katia opened her mouth yet nothing came out and she closed her mouth.

Bobby just shook his head at her and opened the door. "See yah, Katia." He walked out and slammed the door behind him. He quickly walked down the short cluster hallway and into the main hallway, he almost ran into a tall woman. He took a step back and tilted his head back to meet a pair of cold blue eyes.

"Bobby," greeted Ashley.

Bobby stiffened up, said nothing, and brushed by her.

The state trooper partially turned and watched him stalk down the hallway. After Bobby slammed the stairwell door, she instantly thought of Katia. "Damn," she muttered and her quick stride took her to Katia's room.

"Yeah… come in," quietly called Katia.

Ashley stepped into the room and her eyes quickly locked on Katia. She noted how Katia was sitting on her desk chair, hunched over, and her right hand rubbing over her forehead. She exhaled deeply and came over to her best friend then bent down in front of her. She dipped her head and whispered, "Anything I can do?"

Katia gave out a heavy sigh and she muttered, "Shoot me with your gun?"

Ashley tried not to get annoyed at the remark. Instead she reached forward while saying, "Come here."

Katia took the signal and leaned into her best friend's warm, strong arms. She rested her face into the crook of Ashley's neck and held onto her.

Ashley remained quiet for awhile then quietly whispered, "What happened?"

Katia debated with herself to bring it up or not. Something in her urged her to take Ashley's help. "He was pissed because I spend more time with you than him."

"Understandable," quietly agreed Ashley.

Katia faintly lifted an eyebrow at the older woman.

The trooper exhaled audibly from the look. "To be honest, we do spend a lot of time together." She tilted her head some. "I think both our… significant others have noticed it."

Katia stay ridged as she processed what her friend expressed to her. Gradually Katia's shoulders started to slump down in defeat. "We do." Her glossy green eyes focused on Ashley finally. "I like being with you," she bluntly stated.

"I know," agreed Ashley. "But the question is, do you like being with Bobby?"

Katia dropped her head forward some as she considered the question carefully. "Sometimes, yes." She lifted her head back up to gaze into her friend's soft features. "But not enough to be serious with him."

"Do you give him a chance?" prompted Ashley.

"I...." Katia faltered when she thought about it. Did she really give Bobby a fair chance or had she been automatically brushing him off?

Ashley touched the tips of her fingers under Katia's chin. When Katia focused on her again, she quietly asked, "Or are you dating him for other reasons, Katia?"

Katia slowly swallowed and whispered, "A front?"

The state trooper gradually nodded. "A front… using him to hide something?"

Katia's eyes fell when guilt flared up in her, she tried to deny it but her guilt stopped her. "Maybe," she admitted in a small voice.

Ashley pulled her touch away from Katia's face and rested her hand now on Katia's knee. "You should think about it." She paused and dared to say her next advice but she did it anyway. "Maybe give him a fair chance, Katia."

Katia barely nodded her agreement but she knew she would need to talk to her boyfriend later.

"However," quietly continued Ashley, "if he is doing anything… wrong…." She waited to see if Katia took the bait but saw she wasn't going to at all. "Or he pushes you into things, then you need to be careful, K."

"I know."

"I know you know," replied Ashley, "but that's not the same as doing it." She shifted her feet a little now that they felt sore but she didn't move away from Katia. "Seriously, has he tried to have sex with you?"

Katia almost resisted to answer the question yet Ashley's stern expression told her that only a truthful answer would be allowed. She just barely nodded then mumbled, "At the start."

"What about lately?"

Katia just shook her head.

Ashley felt a little relieved but not completely secure either. "Does he know about your rape?"

Katia was starting to wonder how she got into this conversation with Ashley. Apart of her felt some kind of relief though to be discussing it despite how hard it was for her. "No," she finally answered. "I don't feel comfortable talking about it."

Ashley decided to let that go knowing the incident was too recent and too hard right now for Katia. "I know this is hard, Katia."

Katia slouched some as her eyes closed briefly. "I feel like I complicate it." Her eyes drifted open again. "Like it's me."

The trooper somewhat shrugged, and she squeezed Katia's knee. "Nothing is easy and I don't think you're complicating it."

"I don't know," grumbled the younger woman.

"Just take it easy, Katia," urged the trooper. "It is just a boyfriend." She slightly grinned and added, "Not your fiancé, spouse… soul mate. You're not even going steady with him and it's only been a few weeks."

"Yeah… you're right." Katia felt some of the responsibility lift off her shoulders. Her face suddenly untightened and her eyes slowly started to glow again. "Thank you," she whispered.

Ashley slowly sensed a smile ease across her lips. "You're welcome, K."

Katia felt her stomach flutter from the smile Ashley gave her. She knew Ashley had a smile that could melt glaciers and at rare moments she was lucky enough to witness them, this was one of them. "So uh…." She wasn't sure why she randomly felt nervous or why she faltered but she tried to regain control. "We still checking out gyms?"

"Of course," agreed Ashley and she took that as a signal to get out of Katia's personal space. She quickly rose up to her full height and peered down at her best friend.

Katia slightly turned at her torso and reached to her cell phone, she pulled it free from the cradle. She then hopped onto her feet as if a new energy filled her. "Come on."

Ashley took a step back and let her best friend grab her purse and room keys.

Katia pulled her purse over her shoulder, snatched her keys off her desk and went to the door. "Coming?"

Ashley momentarily paused and admired Katia for a moment. Her stomach quivered briefly when a blush rose up Katia's cheeks from her staring.

"Ash, come on," urged the flushed young woman.

"Sorry," muttered Ashley but she really wasn't as she hurried over to her friend's side.

***

"Colleen, we really need the help," urged Erin.

Colleen crossed one leg over the other and stared at the three females on the sofa across from her. "I don't know if he'll go for it." She shook her head, her dark curly hair slightly flowing with the movement of her head. "This risky, guys."

Haley bent forward and captured Colleen's larger hand in hers. "We know, Colleen but we need that information." She paused as her lips slightly puckered. "Let us talk to him."

Colleen almost groaned but instead she sighed. She looked between Haley, Erin, and Sara as if judging the importance of their plan. "Hold on… let me call him." She quickly stood up from the sofa-couch and pulled her cell phone from her back pocket.

Haley turned her head and watched Colleen walk into her bedroom. Haley slightly sighed as she fell back into her spot and looked at her two friends. "You two owe me," she hotly warned.

"We know," agreed Erin, she held up a hand then dropped it back to her lap. She gazed about the living room in Haley's apartment that she shared with Shanarah and Colleen.

"What if her boyfriend can't do it?" whispered Sara.

"We'll figure something else out," promised Haley but she was worried. Then a second thought occurred to her and she returned her attention to her friends. "Where's Mikie?"

"He wasn't in his room when we went to leave," replied Erin. "We don't know."

"But he was going to come, right?" countered Haley.

"Yeah," replied Sara.

Haley looked away with a concerned expression but she lost it when Colleen came back out of her bedroom. "What'd he say?"

"Don will be here in a few minutes," answered Colleen. She pointed her cell phone at the three girls. "He said this better be good."

"It will be," promised Sara.

"I hope so," warned Colleen, her amber eyes burned at them. "If Don gets caught up in this you will have me to deal with."

Haley actually shivered because she knew what kind of threat that was coming from Colleen. She quickly stood up and came closer to Colleen. "It'll be fine, hun."

Colleen gauged her roommate's promise and slowly nodded her head. She then heard a knock at the door to the left.

Haley took the cue and hurried over to open it. She felt relieved when Mike stood there with an apologetic look.

"Sorry I'm late." Mike stepped into the student apartment and looked between his group of friends. He waved at Colleen and said, "Hey."

"Hey, Mike," greeted the tall woman. "Glad you made it for this secret meeting."

Mike quietly laughed. "Yeah right." She looked over at Erin and Sara then back at Colleen. "Mission Impossible here." He then smirked and looked solely at Erin. "How you doing, Double-O-7?"

Erin just rolled her eyes and replied, "Great, Agent 86."

"Agent 86?" muttered Mike in confusion.

"Oh I want to be 99," happily stated Haley with a smirk on her face.

Colleen could tell Mike was still lost so she said, "Get Smart."

"It was an old television show," clarified Sara to Mike, "and Agent 86 was a goofball detective."

Mike suddenly understood the inclination and he shot a mean glare at Erin. "Thanks a lot, 007."

Erin just smirked back.

"I don't know about you all but I'm Foxy Cleopatra." For emphasis, Colleen snapped her fingers back and forth in front of her. "Shazam."

The group of friends broke out laughing together at Colleen's impersonation. Their laughter though was broken up when there was a knock at the door.

Colleen didn't hesitate to answer it, figuring it was her boyfriend. She pulled open the door and let her boyfriend step into the apartment. "Hi, honey." She captured his lips in a soft kiss then reached up to brush his brown hair back. "Thanks for coming."

"No problem." Don gave his girlfriend a smile then he moved closer to the group with Colleen. He stood beside her and everybody realized how incredibly short he looked especially next to a five foot ten inch Colleen. "So what's going on?" He glanced between the group of friends. "Colleen said it has to do with Bobby Fluehr."

"You know his circle, right?" prompted Haley, her body turned to the small man.

Don gradually nodded his head. "I use to buy off one of his guys." He slipped his hands into his pockets and he shift uncomfortable when everybody, except Colleen, gave him a surprised look. "I use to resell the roofies," he explained, "I didn't use them."

Everybody in the room seemed to relax and more so because they knew he'd changed. A lot of Don's changes were due to his relationship with Colleen. Nobody had a doubt that Colleen had helped him change and move away from such things as dealing roofies.

"So it's true that Bobby sells roofies?" prompted Mike. He took a step to his left and got a better view of Don.

Don inclined his head but slowly nodded. "Yeah… he buys off the street then brings it onto campus. He and his buddies use it and resell it." He slightly shrugged. "Why you guys asking?"

Erin felt like she should take charge so she rose up and neared the group some. "My roommate, Katia Danforth, she's dating him." She visible saw Don cringe in response. She narrowed her eyes and carefully asked, "Do you know something, Don?"

Don chewed on his lower lip and rocked on his feet a little. "Bobby is… known for using roofies on his girlfriends." His eyes flickered between the circle of Katia's friends. "Well more like ex-girlfriends," he explained, "after they've dumped him. I think it's his way of getting back at them."

Sara quickly popped up from her seat and came over. "So you're saying as long as Katia stays with him, she's safe?"

"Pretty much," agreed Don. "Unless he really wants her and she refuses him to the point it pisses him off." He went silent as he let everybody digest the information.

"Either way, Katia is screwed," muttered Haley.

Mike huffed and said, "Literally."

"Mike," snapped Erin, her eyes flashed at him for the bad joke. She then returned her attention to Don. "We need a favour."

"Look," cut off Don, "I'm not about to help you get him turned in, guys." He shook his head. "Not only does the campus cops really not care but if there's some investigation and that gang starts naming people, I'll be on that list."

"Don, come on," urged Sara. "This is serious."

"I understand but you're going to have to convince your friend Katia to either sleep with him or get raped. I'm not getting into the middle of it."

Colleen had been silent the entire time but now her temper flared. "Honey," she whispered in a very even tone, "if I was in Katia's situation, would you help?"

Don faltered at his girlfriend's unfair question and his shoulders fell. "Baby, if the cops get involved then they'll bring me in."

Colleen sighed but leaned over and wrapped her hands around his upper arm. "Don, you can't leave that girl hanging like that knowing she'll most likely be raped along with so many others." She dipped her head some and captured his eyes. "I've met Katia before… she's a wonderful person."

Don felt his protests faltering to his girlfriend's urgencies.

"Wait, wait," cut in Erin. When Don and Colleen looked at her, she quickly explained, "Katia has a friend that's a state trooper." She paused as she considered how to further her explanation. "Sara, Mike, and I know her."

"Me too," agreed Haley but a smirk on her face.

Erin's attention flickered between Haley and returned to Don. "I'm sure if we went to her, she can make sure nothing happens to you, Don."

"Especially if you've helped bring in Bobby and his boys," piped in Sara.

Everybody was quiet and tensed as they waited for Don's finally answer.

Don dropped his head forward and he tried to weigh the consequences and risks in his head.

"Baby?" quietly whispered Colleen.

Don lifted his head and studied his girlfriend's worried expression. He swallowed and looked over at the group. "Alright." He dipped his head then asked, "What you need?"

Erin felt relief flood through her body and once again hope filled her up.

Sara reached up and grasped Erin's arm because she felt so relieved at the turn of events.

***

"Tuesday, right?" urged Sara as she sat down on Mike's bed.

Mike turned around as he listened to Erin and Sara talking back and forth.

"Yeah," agreed Erin as she finished loading the roll of film into her Olympus camera. "Don will meet up with them." She closed the lid on the camera and briefly listened to the camera whine. "I'm going to follow them and hope I can hide." She checked the date stamp feature on her camera and decided to turn it on for Tuesday. "And get some good shots of the exchange."

"What if you can't?" protested Mike. He walked over to the girls and stood in front of them.

Erin sighed and looked up Mike. "Then we're going to have to hope that the roofies that Don buys are enough."

"He said we might have to do it a couple of times," reminded Sara. "Incase Bobby doesn't do the exchange himself."

Erin shook her head at her girlfriend. "Don didn't seem to think so since him and Bobby go back a bit." She slightly grinned. "He might be tempted to talk to Don himself."

"Let's hope so," agreed Mike.

Sara looked up at Mike with a puzzled expression. "You're going out to dinner with Katia tomorrow night, right?"

"Yeah, why?" prompted Mike.

Sara just shook her head, not really sure why she cared but she was keeping tabs on Katia more now. "Just curious."

"Remember, not a word of this to Katia." Erin was looking between her girlfriend and Mike. "We can't screw this up."

Sara nodded but slowly her perplexed look came back over her. She looked up at Mike and stated, "Go to dinner with Katia on Tuesday."

"What?" Mike furrowed his eyebrows. "What for? I've got Maria coming."

"Take her too then," argued Sara. "If we keep Katia away from Bobby then that'll leave him free to meet up with Don."

Erin brightened up at the idea. "Sara's right, Mikie. You should ask Katia to go Tuesday night."

"What the hell am I going to tell her about Monday night?"

Erin and Sara exchanged looks then Sara looked up at Mike. "Just tell her you want two girls instead of one."

"Christ," muttered Mike and he glared at the two women.

"Come on, let's go ask her." Sara suddenly sprung up from the bed and grabbed Mike's wrist.

Erin chuckled and quietly followed her friends out of Mike's room and into Katia's.

Katia almost jumped out of her seat when her friend's exploded into the room She glared at them then returned her focus to the conversation on her cell phone. "Yeah, I know, Ash."

Sara cringed and whispered, "Sorry." Katia waved her off so she sat down on Erin's bed with her friends. They just quietly waited for Katia to finish her conversation.

"Ashley, don't," urged Katia. "I know but you're getting into it for all the wrong reasons." She slumped back against the back of her chair and closed her eyes. "Personally I don't think Laurel gives and flying fuck about you." She tensed a little but visibly relaxed again. "I'm sorry it's just…."

Sara looked at Erin and leaned over closer to her. "What are they talking about?"

Erin sighed and softly replied, "Laurel… she's pregnant."

"Nawn'tnaw," hotly whispered Mike, shock swept through him. "She is?" he asked more quietly.

Erin simply nodded then looked over at Katia, her attention once again returning to the one sided conversation.

"I know it's your decision, Ashley." Katia felt rather frustrated by now. She couldn't understand how Ashley was justifying her relationship with Laurel as being a good one or even bearable. "Alright… yeah." She dropped her head forward. "Yeah we're still up for Thanksgiving." She closed her eyes again. "Okay… get some sleep I know you work tomorrow morning." She slightly smiled. "Yes, lovely Mondays." She chuckled with Ashley then said, "Alright. Goodnight, Ash." She paused then ended with, "Bye." She pulled her phone away and shut it. "Oh. My. God!"

"She's staying with her huh?" probed Erin.

"Yes," growled Katia and she threw her phone into her desk. "Why the hell is Ashley so goddamn nice?" she seethed and glared at her phone like it was Laurel Fielding. 

"Why is she staying if Laurel is pregnant?" argued Mike. "That is just stupid."

"That's just Ashley for you." Katia groaned really loudly. "She doesn't see that being a reason to dump Laurel."

"Yes it is," protested Mike. "I bet she's got a burrito on the side and finally screwed up. She's now calling it rape."

"You're probably right," muttered Katia. She sighed and crossed her ankles under the desk. "Ashley even said it was strange how Laurel can't seem to remembering anything about her attacker." She looked over her shoulder at her friends. "She even refused a rape kit."

Sara considered it and started comparing this to the Law & Order television show she watched now and again. "Without the rape kit, the cops don't get any leads." Her eyes glazed over as she thought more about it. "No DNA or fluids to trace to the attacker." Her face focussed on the group. "It basically leaves the cops with nothing, no leads."

Katia opened her mouth but slowly closed it as her mind put the pieces together.

"She… faked it," concluded Erin.

Katia quickly narrowed her eyes and she suddenly sat up. She grabbed her cell phone off her desk and flipped it open. "I wonder if…."

Erin tilted her head to one side. "What you doing?"

Katia's heart was racing and her body shook as she drew up Laurel's name in her phonebook. "I'm going to try something, guys." For a moment she hesitated and debated whether this was a smart thing to do. She stared at the two numbers in her phonebook under Laurel Fielding; one was her cell phone and the other her home number. "I hope I don't regret this," she muttered and clicked on Laurel's home phone number. She heard her phone ringing and she quickly said, "Be quiet, ya'll."

Erin and Sara tensed up together.

Mike felt his own heart pound and the blood drain from him.

Katia tried to steady her breathing as the phone rang a few times. She suddenly tensed up when the receiver picked up on the other end.

"Hello?" answered a deep male voice.

Katia almost dropped her cell phone but she forced herself to be calm. "Hello," she faltered, "is Amanda there?"

"No." The guy hesitated then added, "Nobody lives here by that name."

"Really?" prompted Katia. "Are you sure? My friend Amanda gave me this number just last night." She worked hard to keep her voice even and steady.

"No," replied the guy, "I'm sorry." He paused then added, "This is my girlfriend's number."

Katia's eyes instantly widened and she bent forward so she wouldn't fall out of her seat. "Oh I'm really sorry, sir." She swallowed before saying, "I was sure this was Amanda's number."

A muffled chuckled filtered from the man over the phone. "No, I'm afraid not, miss. This number is listed under Laurel Fielding so you might wanna check with your friend."

"Yes, of course." Katia licked her lips. "Thank you and sorry again."

"No problem."

"Bye," added Katia and she quickly shut her phone. She turned her head to her friends and stared at them. She wasn't surprise to see Mike with his mouth hanging open, Erin wide eye, and Sara suddenly falling back and laughing hysterically.

Katia suddenly launched out of her chair and yelled, "That bitch!"

"Holy shit," whispered Erin. "I didn't think it was… true."

"I knew it, I knew it," seethed Katia in her fury. "Wait until Ashley finds out." She quickly went to her closest as her mind raced with ideas. "Wait until I get my hands on that bitch!"

Mike shook away his shock and looked over at Katia to see her rummaging through her top shelf in her closest.

Sara had settled down finally and she sat up to look at Katia too. "What you doing, Katia?"

Katia pulled a black bag off her shelf and turned around with it in her hands. "I'm going to screw that woman over royally." She put the small bag into her desk and ran the zip around the side until she had it open. She reached in and hefted out a body of a black camera.

Sara's jaw went slack when she guessed what Katia had in mind.

"Katia," started the worried roommate. "You're not going to…."

Katia smirked as she picked up the huge zoom lense and twisted it into the body of the camera until it snapped into place. "I am," she confirmed. She reached into the bag again and pulled out two rolls of unused film. "Ashley can't ignore proof." She then lifted her Nikon camera and peered through it to make sure the battery hadn't run out. Everything was perfect and she lowered it as a sly grin creased her expression. "Anybody up to going to Lancaster tomorrow with me?"

The three friends said nothing and stared at Katia as if she grown two red horns and a red tail.

"I wouldn't miss it," whispered Sara in awe. She suddenly laughed.

"Oh christ," muttered Erin and she groaned as her hand went through her curly locks.

Mike nodded as the biggest smirk came over him. "When do we leave?"

"Jesus Christ," hotly whispered Erin.

Katia grinned at her roommate and asked, "You coming, Erin?"

Erin looked at her friend with completely perplexity. When Katia simply raised an eyebrow at her, she gave in and threw up her hands. "Nine sounds good to me." She laughed but more out of astonishment. "We'll get there by one."

Katia's lips curled up into a sharp grin and her eyes sparkled wildly. She stared at her Nikon camera as it reflected the light off the zoom lense. She would celebrate by sunset tomorrow when she had several rolls of film with Laurel and her boyfriend, together.

**To be continued.**


	15. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Ashley picked up her small spiral notepad from the nook in the dash. Slowly she lifted her head and stared out her car window. She briefly watched the traffic flow on route 13 then she broke away and looked back at her notepad. With a heavy sigh, she picked up her trooper hat from her passenger seat then opened her car door. When she got out, she put her trooper hat on and zipped up her official issued Maryland Trooper leather jacket to keep her warm against the winter breeze.

Officer Carver strolled through the parking lot and approached the main doors of the barracks. When she came in, a few other officers wished her good morning and she greeted them back. She went behind the counter and past several desks until she came to one. She patiently waited for the male officer to finish his phone call.

"Alright, ma'am… it'll be taken care of." The officer nodded his head then said, "Bye." He hung the phone and peered up at the tall female officer. "Hey, Carver."

"How are you?" inquired Ashley.

"Pretty good, you?" He shuffled a few papers around and stacked them off to the side.

"It's Monday," answered Ashley, a slight smile played her lips. "I need a favour, Ralph."

The male officer, Ralph Wheatly, directed the chair in front of his desk. "Sit down, serge." After Officer Carver was settled in his guest chair, he tipped his head and asked, "What you need?"

Ashley lifted up her notepad and flipped through a few pages. "I need you to find some information for me."

"Who you got?" Officer Wheatly held out his hand.

The sergeant tossed the pad onto his desk for him. She watched him glance over it then she said, "I'm not sure about the license plate though, but I'm pretty sure it's his."

"Can I have this?" Ralph peered up and saw Ashley nod so he ripped the paper off. "I'll see what I can find."

"When you think you'll have something?"

Officer Wheatly studied the location and he slowly nodded. "Hopefully by the afternoon." He peered up at the young woman. "Does that work, serge?"

"Yes." Ashley Carver slowly rose up to her full height. "Just leave it on my desk." She closed up her small notepad and slipped it into her jacket pocket. "I might not be around."

"Alright, will do, serge."

"Thanks, Wheatly." Ashley gave a faint smiled then turned and left. She first went to her desk and checked a few things, mainly in her inbox. After she decided the paperwork could wait until later, she went to the captain's office. She noted the door open and the captain sitting at his desk, she simply knocked on the doorframe to get his attention.

"Carver," greeted Captain Smith. "Come in."

Ashley reached up and removed her hat as she stepped into the office. She made sure to close the door behind her.

"How is the case, sergeant?" inquired the captain.

Officer Carver folded her hands behind her back, her hat in her right hand. "It's going well, sir." She tilted her head a little to the side. "I have one particular solid lead. I plan on visiting him today."

Captain Smith quickly looked up when he heard this. "Who's the suspect, Carver?"

"An Andre Williams." Ashley paused but saw her captain's inquisitive look so she further explained. "He lives a few blocks from the campus. I believe he's one of the main dealers, especially to the college kids."

"Have you contacted the local ADA, Carver?"

"No, sir." The trooper hesitated then added, "I thought I'd speak with him first."

The captain sat back in his chair and considered it for a moment. "Are you certain he's dealing to the college?"

"One hundred percent," confirmed Ashley in a matter of fact tone.

"What are your sources?"

Sergeant Carver inhaled deeply then ran down her explanation. "I had a name of a buyer of William's that I spoke with. He confirmed that William was one of the main dealers."

"What is he dealing?"

"I believe a little bit of everything," replied Ashley, "but mainly rohypnol, marihuana, and ecstasy."

Captain Smith was actually impressed with Ashley Carver's work so far but he also understood she had little training with narcotics work. "Carver, we're going to need more solid evidence than word of mouth from a buyer."

Officer Carver faintly hesitated but slowly nodded. "You're correct, sir."

The captain's lips tugged with a smile but he controlled himself. "You'll need to do some undercover work, I'm afraid."

Slowly a grin creased Ashley's lips. "That won't be a problem, sir."

"Let me see if I can get one of the narcotic officers here to help you out." He paused as he thought about it more. "In the mean time…." The captain hesitated then asked, "Have you spoken with the SU campus police?"

"Not… particularly, captain. Should I speak with them?"

"I would advice it," agreed the captain. "See if they have any thoughts about students on campus." He sat up in his chair again. "Interview some students. See if you can't find out which students are buying."

Sergeant Carver slightly nodded then asked, "Is that all, captain?"

"Yes, you should get over to SU. The interviews will take awhile."

Ashley nodded her head. "I'll stop by before the end of my shift."

"I'd appreciate an update," agreed Captain Smith.

Ashley Carver moved her head in acknowledgement then she turned on her heels and started to leave.

"Good work so far, Ashley."

Ashley glanced back and resisted the urge to smile. "Thank you, captain." She then quietly left while putting her hat back on. She immediately went to her desk first and took her jacket off. She carefully put it on the desk then she pulled her dispatch radio free from its desk charger. She turned it on and tested the volume and squelch levels, once satisfied; she hooked the radio to the right side of her belt.

Sergeant Carver put her jacket back on, zipped it, and went to the back of the barracks through the main hall. She approached the glass door that lead to the rear parking lot but she stopped in front of the door. "Hey John, I'm taking my car," she called.

Officer John Wilson popped his head up over the rim of the short wall that separated the offices from the hallway. "Got it. Have a good spin, serge."

Ashley slightly smiled. "Thanks." She pushed the door open and strolled across the mainly bare parking lot. Her eyes locked on her patrol car at the very end of the vast parking lot. She reached to the front of her right hip and unhooked her set of car keys. When she came up to the dark patrol car, she unlocked it and sat down only to become cold from the freezing seat. She held back a groan from the cold but she quickly started the car, buckled in, and drove out of Barracks E and onto route 13.

As she drove along, she made sure to turn on her car dispatch radio. She listened to the various calls broadcasting over the radio and didn't notice any of them practically important. After a brief sigh, she reached to her right and decided she needed to boot up her police laptop. By the time she was close to Salisbury University, her laptop was up and connected the police network.

Ashley considered going into the student parking lot that Katia parked in and decided to pull into there. She slowly drove around until she found an empty spot but she hesitated to pull into it. She braked her car to a full stop and her eyes came to rest on a yellow Nissan Frontier. "Hmmm, let's see…." She slightly leaned to her right and memorized the tags on the truck. Her right hand quickly glided over the laptop until she had the data entered and the laptop began searching the database for the information.

As Ashley waited, she pulled into the empty parking spot finally. She put the patrol car in park and looked back at her laptop. The screen show detailed information of the owner and any prior criminal record of the owner.

Officer Carver scanned over the information and found all of it accurate to Bobby Fluehr. What partially surprised her was the fact he held no criminal record but that wasn't concrete either. She sighed and cleared the screen off. After turning her radio down, she got out of the car and adjusted her hat. She gazed about the parking lot and tried to identify Katia's Mercedes but she couldn't find it at all.

"Strange," muttered Ashley. She knew Katia had a full day's load of classes but she didn't know the times of the classes. She shrugged it off and decided she needed to get to work. She started across the campus, passing by Katia's dorm and two others. She glanced about the campus since she really hadn't received much of a tour of it. Fortunately she'd looked over the campus map on the website a week ago or so and had it well memorized. She already knew where the university police office was and that was on the opposite side of campus.

"Office Carver," called a young woman.

Ashley paused and turned to the person calling for her. "Miss Danver," she coolly greeted.

Haley slightly smiled and approached the state trooper. "Yeah I know, I'm not your favourite in Katia's circle of friends." Her comment caused a faint grin to appear on the officer's face. "What you doing here? Checking in on Katia?"

Ashley smiled amusingly at the jest. "No, other business." She gradually folded her arms over her chest and she debated whether there might by an opportunity in talking to Haley. After a second, she decided she didn't want Haley to pass along to Katia about the investigation so she let it go. "Have you seen Katia today?"

Haley opened her mouth to response but she slowly closed it as she considered. "I actually haven't seen her for awhile." She looked up from staring at the paved ground. "As a matter of fact, I haven't even seen Erin." She noted Ashley's confused look. "Erin and I have phycology together first thing… she wasn't there."

"Does she sleep in?"

"Not particularly," commented Haley. "Erin doesn't miss any classes." She reached up to brush back her curly blond locks. "I'm sure she's fine… who knows with her."

The state trooper nodded but she felt somewhat uneasy. "Alright. Thank you, Miss Danver." She was about to continued on her way but Haley's voice caught her.

"You can call me Haley," offered the young woman. "You don't need to be so formal."

Ashley paused and looked back at her. "Thanks, I will, Haley." She received another smile from Haley but more genuine than her last one.

"See you, Carver."

Before Ashley could make a comment on Haley's formality, Haley had already walked too far away. Ashley shrugged it off and continued to the university police building. As she made her way there, she continued to think about Katia and wondered where she could be right now. The fact that Erin didn't show for her class worried Ashley but she forced herself to look at it objectively; these were college students. College students tended to go and come as they pleased like the wind.

Officer Carver finally approached the main door the campus police and she stepped into it. When she entered the building, she came into a waiting room and there was a counter. There was nobody in the waiting room so she stepped up to the counter and peered into the back offices.

One of the officers at his desk saw Ashley and hastily got up from his desk. "Yes, ma'am?" He approached the counter with a smile on his face.

"Hi, I'm First Sergeant Ashley Carver from Barracks E."

"Please to meet you, I'm Corporal Jeff Briggs." The corporal took Ashley's hand and briskly shook it. "What can I help you with, sergeant?"

"I need to speak with your chief, Jerry Peterson, if I can."

The corporal faintly nodded. "Let me go get him for you, sergeant."

"Thank you." Ashley took a step back and briefly watched him disappear into the back. She sighed and reached up to remove her hat. After she tucked it under her arm, she unhooked her cell phone from its holster and she flipped it open.

***

"Oh my god, are we there yet?" moaned Mike. He slumped in his seat and looked over at Katia in the driver's seat.

"At least you're not driving," reminded Katia. She was trying to pay attention to the surrounding traffic on route 13 since she was now in Dover Delaware. She was quite familiar with the area and how congested it could become at times.

"We got another three hours before we get there, Mikie," called Erin from the back.

Mike slumped in his seat more and whined some. "Why'd I come?"

Katia snickered and reached over to pat his leg. "Because you love me."

Mike slightly grinned at her when his hand fell from his face. "You know what?"

"What?" inquired Katia.

"I'm hungry," state the whiney Mike.

"So am I," piped in Erin.

Sara perked up at the promise of food. "How about you, Katia?"

"Yeah, I could go for something myself." Katia shifted some in her seat. "There's actually an IHOP just ahead."

"We're stopping!" loudly ordered Mike. "We are so stopping."

Sara peered out her window and pointed. "There it is."

"Hang on." Katia put her right blinker on and pulled into the far right lane. She pushed on her brake and flipped the blinker yet again. She slow down then swung into the parking lot of the IHOP. "Mmmm I want French toast."

"What?" chided Erin, "You don't come here for French toast! This is not the International House of French Toast!"

Everybody laughed but nobody hesitated to jump out of the car when Katia pulled into a parking spot. The group raced across the parking lot and made it into the IHOP in record time.

"Four?" inquired the hostess.

"And very hungry," agreed Mike.

The hostess chuckled at him. "This way." She carried the menus in her right arm as she lead the group into the main portion of the triangular white and blue building. "Here you are." She stepped aside as the hungry college students all slid into the booth. She then handed them each their menus and said, "Have a good breakfast."

The group of friends all busied themselves with the menu and debated what to get. Suddenly a cell phone page went off and caught everybody off guard.

"Who was that?" demanded Erin.

Katia sheepishly grinned as she reached into her top left pocket. "Me."

"Turn that damn thing off when we're eating," growled Erin.

Katia snickered and flipped her phone open to see a text message came in from Ashley. "Oh it's Ashley."

"I bet she knows you're gone," teased Sara but she didn't bother to look away from her menu as she spoke.

Erin was sitting next to Sara and she leaned over to her. "What you getting?" she whispered.

Sara looked over and a huge grin spread across her face. "The breakfast sampler."

Erin looked back at her menu and gazed at the meal. "Holy breakfast," whispered Erin. "That's a lot."

"Oh no," whispered Katia from across the table.

Mike looked over at his friend. "What's wrong?"

"Ashley asked me where I am."

Erin instantly lowered her menu to look at Katia. "What you mean?"

"I mean, she asked me where I am."

"Wait." Sara grabbed her cell phone from her back pocket. "Don't answer her yet." She put her menu down and hastily started using her cell phone. She finished typing something and put her cell phone down on the table.

"What can I get you all?" inquired a waitress that suddenly appeared. "Have we decided?"

"I'm not quite ready," spoke up Mike.

"That's okay," agreed the waitress. "What about drinks?"

"Can I get an orange juice?" Erin peered up from her menu and saw the waitress writing it down.

"Me too," piped in Sara.

Mike smiled and nodded to the waitress. "Me three."

The waitress smiled back but then looked at Katia. "You, miss?"

Katia was caught off guard because she kept rereading Ashley's text message. "Oh… um some milk would be great."

"Skim or one percent?"

"One percent," replied Katia and she returned to looking at the menu.

Suddenly Sara's phone started beeping on the table. It was hastily scooped up by Sara and she read the message aloud. "Yes, I saw Ashley on campus and she asked about Katia." She paused and gave a questioning look to Katia then looked back at her cell phone. "Where are ya'll?" She peered up again. "It's from Haley."

"Oh shit," whispered Katia, "Ashley is on campus?"

Erin tilted her menu back down and exchanged a quick look with Mike. "Ask Haley why she was there, will yah?"

"Sure." Sara was already punching in the message back.

"What should I tell Ashley?" muttered Katia. She stared at her cell phone in fear like it was Ashley.

Mike shrugged and suggested, "Tell her the truth. You're out to breakfast with us."

Katia's mouth slightly opened but she nodded her head. "Alright." She picked up her phone and started typing in a very vague message. After she sent the message, the saw that the waitress returned with their drinks. She quickly moved her large menu out of the way to give some room.

"Are we ready now?" asked the server.

"Yup," answered Mike, a huge smile on his face. His smile went into a silly grin as he looked up from his menu. "Can I get the Rooty Tooty Fresh and Fruity."

The waitress quietly laughed as she wrote the order down. "Which topping?"

Mike hummed a little then replied, "Cinnamon-apple." He then held up his menu.

The server took it then looked at Katia.

Katia was about to reply but her beeping from her cell phone made her hesitated. She ignored it and continued with her order. "I'd like the chocolate chip pancakes."

"Oh gross." Erin crinkled up her nose. "Chocolate chip?"

"It's really good," countered Katia. "Besides, you told me no french toast." She chuckled while handing the menu to the server.

Erin just grinned and looked at her menu. "I'd like the griddle cakes." She held up the menu.

The server took the menu then looked at Sara. "And you?"

Sara smacked her lips a little and ordered, "Breakfast sampler, please and the eggs scrambled."

The waitress shook her head and grinned at Sara when she took the menu. "I'll be back with your orders in a bit."

"Thank you," called Katia to the retreating server. She picked up her cell phone from the table and flipped it open.

"What'd she say?" inquired Mike. He bent over and peered past Katia's shoulder.

"She asked why I'm not in class." Katia shook her head and laughed in amusement. "What is she? My keeper?"

"Yes," answered everybody at the table.

Katia looked up and glared at each of her friends. "Very funny."

Erin rolled her eyes then said, "Tell her you didn't have to go to class."

"Erin, I'd be lying."

"No," countered the roommate, "you don't have to go to class, it's not mandatory."

Katia's shoulders slumped and she glared at her roommate. "She's not stupid."

"Fine. You think of something better."

Katia let out a deep groan and sunk in her seat some. She stared at Ashley's text message and tried to think of something reasonable to say. She started typing something.

Sara jumped when her cell phone rang again and she grabbed it. Again, she read the message aloud, "She was headed to the campus police. I don't know what for. And where are you?"

"You better tell her," recommended Mike. He lifted his glass of orange juice and started to drink it.

Sara gave out a heavy sigh but typed a reply to Haley.

Katia sent her message then looked up. "I wonder why she went to the campus police."

"You did say she's working on an investigation, right?"

"Yeah, some case but she can't tell me what." Katia put her phone back on the table. "Maybe that has something to do with it."

"Probably," agreed Erin.

"Or she's telling them to keep tabs on you," teased Mike.

"Mike!"

Mike laughed at Katia and decided it was safer not to say anymore.

Erin shifted around in her seat a little and reached into her red, puffy jacket. She produced two pieces of paper and opened them up. "Are you sure this is the right address, Katia?"

Katia was taking a sip of her milk. After she put it down, she replied, "Yeah. I took Laurel's home number and put it into the Verizon reverse lookup. That's the address it gave me at the bottom."

Erin's eyes floated down to the bottom of the paper and she mentally recited the address. "I hope its right."

"It is," promised Katia, "because I double checked it on the Yahoo! People Search so we're safe."

"Good." Erin folded the driving directions back up and slipped them away.

"Maybe you should be a cop," teased Sara to Katia.

Katia lifted an eyebrow. "Why?"

Sara shrugged. "You're good at looking this stuff up. I'd never thought to use Verizon reverse lookup."

Slowly a grin creased Katia's face. "I just know where to look." She was startled when her phone beeped at her again. "Damn," she muttered as she opened it again.

"That's what you get for having a cop as your best friend," teased Mike.

Katia rolled her eyes as she hit the reply button.

"What'd she say?" inquired Sara.

Katia let out a heavy sigh. "She asked me to call her when she gets off duty at four this afternoon."

Sara stiffened. "We won't be back from Lancaster by then. Will we?"

Erin shook her head and looked at her watch to see it was a little after ten in the morning. "Depending on how this goes… we might not be back until like midnight."

"We'll have to make sure we get dinner out too," mumbled Katia but her focus was on her message.

Erin smirked. "Your world revolves around two things, Katia."

Katia heard her roommate but didn't say anything as she finished up her message. When she sent it, she looked up and asked, "What is that?"

"Food and Ashley."

Mike snickered and quickly said, "Both of which you can eat!" He squealed when Katia suddenly smacked him hard on the arm.

"Mike!" growled Katia and she resisted the urge to hit him again. "I swear."

Erin and Sara were both holding back their laughter.

"Oh come on, Katia," teased Mike, "you know you wanna lick some of her syrup."

Katia bared her teeth at her friend and held up her hands, ready to shake him silly. "One of these days," she whispered hotly.

Erin closed her eyes and held back her hysterically laughter but her body was shaking.

Sara's lips were pressed together so hard as she bit off numerous comments. She looked up when she saw the server returning with their meals.

"Here you go." The waitress handed off each plate one at a time.

Mike happily smiled and smelled the aroma of pancakes and cinnamon-apple.

"Enjoy." The waitress smiled and headed off to server her other customers.

Katia reached across Mike and retrieved one of the syrups.

Sara eyed Katia and tried to contain her string of bad comments racing through her head.

Erin also picked up a syrup from the rack but decided to try the strawberry flavoured one.

Sara picked up a piece of bacon from her plate and put the top in her mouth. She bit off a piece but kept watching Katia swirl her syrup around on her plate and pancakes. When Katia put a piece of syrup pancake into her mouth, she suddenly smirked. "Katia?" When green eyes lifted to her, she asked, "Does it taste like Ashley?"

Katia choked on her pancake and started to cough.

Sara started to laugh and Mike was snickering.

Katia muffled some swear word and jumped from her seat to disappear into the bathroom at the other end.

"Sara," hissed Erin and she smacked her girlfriend's leg. "That was wrong."

Mike had a smug look on his face. "It was funny though."

Erin rolled her eyes at Mike. "The poor girl is choking on her pancakes because of you two." She gestured to Katia's food. "She's probably not going to eat it now."

Sara's shoulder slouched. "Damn… you're right." She sighed and slid out of her seat. "Be back." She slipped her hands into her pockets and went down to the bathroom.

Erin watched her go then looked over at Mike. She pointed her fork at him. "Lay off of Katia, seriously."

Mike slightly frowned. "But she's so cute when she gets all flustered like that."

"Mike," warned Erin. "Give her some space." She poked her fork into her griddle cakes. "It's only a matter of time before she gets pissed at us all for it."

Mike let out a deep sigh because he knew Erin was right. It would only take another joke or two to send Katia over the edge. He knew he needed to cool it for awhile until a better time. He looked at his food and decided to continue eating.

When Katia came back form the bathroom with Sara at her side, everybody went very quiet. Katia sat back down next to Mike but she pushed her plate of food away. She would never eat chocolate chip pancakes for the rest of her life.

Erin eyed her girlfriend.

Sara let out a grumbled and got up from her seat. When she came back in a minute, she sat down and said, "They're bringing you some French toast, Katia."

Katia sighed but looked up with a faint smile. "Thanks, Sara."

Erin felt a little relieved when her roommate smiled some. She continued to eat her meal happily.

Sara held up a piece of bacon to Katia as if it were a peace offering.

Katia slightly chuckled and took the bacon. She happily munched on it as she waited for her French toast to show up. She remained rather quiet like the rest of the gang but her thoughts were on Ashley. She tried to guess why Ashley was on campus but she knew it ultimately wasn't her business. Her thoughts then shifted to Laurel Fielding and how she was going to get these pictures of Laurel and her boyfriend. She shrugged it off and figured a stake out in front of Laurel's house would suffice. Within three hours or so, she would be sitting in front of Laurel's house with her nice Nikon camera with a terrific zoom lense. She could hardly wait and the most devilish smirk crossed her features.

**To be continued.**


	16. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Sara twisted in her seat and lowered down so that her head rested in her girlfriend's lap.

Erin smiled amusingly, her eyes lowered to Sara. "Bored?"

Sara just rolled her eyes.

"Where is she?" muttered Mike. He sighed and tapped on the window and continued to stare at Laurel Fielding's small white house.

Katia was slumped back in her seat, her eyes closed, and her camera in her lap. "She works at some department store. So I bet she'll be here between four and five."

"You're pretty sure about that huh?" asked Sara. She closed her eyes and snuggled her head more into Erin's lap.

"You could text Ashley and ask her," joked Mike.

Katia grinned. "Not a bad idea." She glanced at her car's clock and saw it was three fifty in the afternoon. She grumbled a little and gazed around the street. It was a typical residential area with either side of the street lined with house after house. She straightened up a little and said, "You guys should go for a walk."

"That's not a bad idea," agreed Mike.

Sara actually sat up. "Yeah I need to get some stuff at Wal-Smart."

"There was one just up the road." Mike glanced back at the girls.

Slowly a grin spread across Katia's lips. "Go ahead, guys. I'll text Sara if Laurel shows." She looked back at her friends. "I'm sure she'll be here soon."

"Alright," agreed Erin. "Let's go." She opened her car door.

Sara also popped out of the car and walked around the car onto the sidewalk.

Mike opened his door but turned to Katia. "You'll be okay?"

"Yeah, don't worry." Katia saw his worried look but she gave him a smile.

Mike sighed but got out of the car. He joined Sara and Erin on the sidewalk. He and the girls waved to Katia then started walking down the sidewalk.

Katia was relieved when they left since she knew she'd need to call Ashley shortly. She glanced at her car clock again and decided to give it some time before calling Ashley. She then started to consider how she'd get photos of Laurel without getting caught. She knew if she continued to sit here right in front of Laurel's house, she would undoubtable be seen.

When she looked up, she saw that her friends had disappeared at the intersection ahead. Katia started her car and put it into drive. She drove down Pine Wood Drive, went past the intersection of Pine Wood and East Drive then went another five hundred feet or so. She slowed down, drove onto the right side and did a quick U-turn.

Katia carefully manoeuvred her car behind an empty parked car on the side however she didn't hug the curb. She now had a clear view of Laurel's house but without being seen. She shut her car down and quietly watched the area. Occasionally a car would pull onto Pine Wood from East Drive but none of them were Laurel's car.

Katia reached into her top jacket pocket and produced her cell phone. She sighed as she pulled up Ashley's cell phone number. With a quick check of the time, she decided to call her best friend.

"Hey, Ash." Katia tried not to let her voice get shaky. "Yeah I didn't have my morning class." She stretched her legs out under her and dipped her head a little. "Yeah? How was Haley?" She slightly smiled. "Oh so you two are talking huh?" She laughed a little. "That's good though." She slowly lifted her head back up and looked out her window. She watched a white Honda Civic pull onto Pine Wood and it slowed down then pulled into Laurel's driveway. Katia narrowed her eyes but returned her focus to her phone conversation. "Yeah, doing homework." She paused then hastily said, "Ash, can I call you back? Something came up… yeah, sorry." She slightly smiled. "Okay thanks. Bye." She flipped her phone, dropped it in her top pocket, and swiped her camera from the floor on the passenger side.

Katia opened her car door and quickly got out when she saw the Civic's door swing open. She raced up to the sidewalk and rushed down to the intersection of the two streets. She lifted her camera and held her breath when a young man rose up out of the car with a bundle of roses and bag of groceries in his left hand.

Katia quickly started taking pictures of him with the car included. She then took a deep breath as she adjusted her zoom and focused on his face but it wasn't close enough.

Katia had taken seven photos already so she stopped and carefully crossed the street. She watched the young man stroll up the side door to the house and start to fish around for keys. Again Katia stopped and lifted her camera and carefully zoomed in to his face along with the zip code address that was on the side of the house. She managed to get three pictures before he disappeared into the house.

"Sweet," whispered Katia. She then briskly walked down the sidewalk until she came fairly close to the house but she was on the opposite side. She lifted her camera and zoomed in on the license plate on the Honda Civic. She took two clear photos then lowered her camera again.

Katia quickly returned to her car, got in, and slammed the door. She reached to her purse on the floor and fished around in it until she found her extra rolls of film. She popped the rolls out of the black canisters and shoved them into her coat pockets. Then she inspected her Nikon's film meter; she had another ten photos left on her roll.

The young college student sunk in her seat again and hoped that Laurel would show soon. The sooner the better and she could go back to the college, well after dinner. Katia dropped her head back some and closed her eyes after feeling so weary from all the driving today. She thought about Ashley and wondered how she would approach her best friend with this. In a lot of ways, she felt extremely guilty for getting into Ashley's business but at the same time she wasn't going to let Laurel get away with this.

After about half an hour a Toyota Corolla turned onto Pine Wood Drive. It drove down and carefully turned into Laurel's driveway, directly beside the Civic.

Katia straightened up and turned her car key to the power setting. She pushed her window down button and once it was far enough down, she put her camera out the window. She was too scared that Laurel would recognize her if she got out of the car. She could only hope she was parked close enough to get some decent photo of Laurel.

Katia quickly adjusted her zoom and captured five photos of Laurel getting out of her car and going to the house. After a deep sigh, Katia put her window back up and pulled her keys out of the ignition. She fortunately recalled that the shades on the windows on the front of Laurel's house were open.

Katia slowly strolled down the sidewalk and she smiled at a passing car. She slung the strap of her camera over her shoulder and quickly crossed the street onto the other side. When she was about two hundred feet from Laurel's driveway, she lifted her camera again and used the last of her film on the two cars parked beside each other. She then zoomed out and managed to use the last photo of the two cars and the side of Laurel's house to show that they were definitely parked on Laurel's residence.

Katia turned her camera over and hit the rewind button. As it rewound, she hung the camera off her side and pulled out another roll of film. Her last mission was to get at least one photo of Laurel and her boyfriend together.

When the camera finished rewinding, she reloaded it with a new roll. She then reslung the camera over her shoulder and she continued down the sidewalk, closer to the front of Laurel's house. Suddenly a neighbour from across the street came out of his house and was headed for his car in the driveway.

Katia saw him from the corner of her eye so she lifted her camera and pretended to take a photo of the tree in Laurel's front yard. She kept playing with her zoom adjustment but never really took a photo. She lowered her camera after he drove away.

"Let's see," she whispered and took several more steps until she came in view of the windows. She narrowed her eyes as she stared into what was a living room and further back a kitchen. She lifted her camera and readied it incase she saw Laurel or her boyfriend.

Laurel walked into the kitchen and placed a vase of roses on her kitchen table.

Katia tensed up and she slowly lifted her camera but not all the way. "Come on," she muttered. "Where are you?"

Laurel completely turned around and smiled at something. Her lips were moving and gradually the boyfriend's face appeared between the doorway.

Katia quickly lifted her Nikon the rest of the way and hastily took a few shots. She paused as she zoomed her camera in to get a better focus on them. Her stomach knotted as the boyfriend approached Laurel. "Come on, kiss her," she growled.

The boyfriend wrapped his arms around Laurel and Laurel laughed a little.

Katia was taking more photos and especially when the boyfriend gently touched Laurel's stomach. She then felt smug when Laurel captured his lips.

"Hey, miss what are you doing?" called a man from across the road, who was walking his dog.

Katia tensed a little but tilted her camera up further. "Just… getting a better shot of these birds." Her zoom focused on two crows in a tree further away.

The man put his hands on his hips and watched the young woman take a photo. He shook his head and continued with walking his dog.

Katia let out a deep breath and lowered her camera. She put the camera strap back over her shoulder and she continued to stroll down the sidewalk as casual as possible. Her body though was shaking and her heart pounded. She couldn't believe what she witnessed and she had several photos to prove it now.

She strolled down the sidewalk and eventually crossed to the other side. As the got closer to her car, she pulled out her LG phone and started to type in a message to Sara.

As soon as she sat in her car, her cell phone started ringing with Sara's name on the Caller ID. Katia chuckled a little and flipped her phone open. "Hey, Sara." She chuckled and replied, "Yup. I got a roll and half of them." She crinkled up her nose then suddenly laughed. "I know!" She laughed a little more then settled down as she carefully put her camera on the passenger seat. "Are ya'll still at the Wal-Mart?"

Katia reached across and buckled up then put her key into the ignition. "Yeah, I'll be there in a few minutes. I need to develop the film. Do they have one hour processing there?" She slowly grinned. "Perfect." She paused and nodded at Sara's question. "Yeah, I'll be there soon then we'll go get dinner." She turned her key in the ignition. "Alright, bye." She shut her phone and pulled out of her parking spot.

***

The group of friends settled into seats at the round table in the Outback Steak House. Mike passed out the menus to his friends then got one for himself.

"So how you going to tell Ashley?" first started Sara. She had the biggest grin on her face.

Katia sighed and looked down at her menu. "I'm not sure," she admitted. "I'm actually more scared about telling her than taking all these photos that I did."

"You think she'll be mad you did this?" inquired Mike.

Katia didn't want to think about that but she knew it was possible. "She might."

"Personally," interrupted Erin, "I'd be really damn happy." She shook her head a little. "After the way she's played Ashley." She fell silent and went back to her menu.

"I hope you're right, Erin," muttered the roommate. Katia returned her attention to her menu.

A male server joined the group and smiled at them all. "Good evening, everybody." When everybody looked up at him, he added, "I'm Michael, your sever for tonight."

Mike quickly looked up and smiled. "Great name."

Michael laughed at the younger man and said, "Thanks." He then pulled a notepad from his back pocket. "What can I get everybody to drink?"

"I'll have a soda," spoke up Sara.

Mike was studying the drinks and quickly looked up. "What's on the draft?"

Michael took a deep breath and quickly brought it up from memory. "Yuengling, Samuel Adams, Coors Light, and Fosters."

"Can I get a Yuengling." Mike tilted to his left and reached to his back pocket.

"Same here," agreed Erin. "That sounds good." She also started to reached for her wallet from her back pocket.

"Can I get a lemonade?" ordered Katia.

"Sure." The server wrote it down then took Erin's and Mike's licenses. After he confirmed the dates, he looked at the group again. "Any starters? Bloomin' Onion?"

"Yeah," spoked up Erin. "We'll get one of those to split."

Everybody nodded their approval and the server wrote it down. "Alright, that'll be here shortly." He flashed a smile before leaving.

"You know, I don't think Ashley will be that mad." Sara folded up her menu after making a selection for her dinner. "At you, Katia."

"I don't know, Sara." Katia lifted her head. "She's kinda funny about it."

"I don't understand why she's with Laurel anyway," interjected Mike. He was shaking his head while putting his menu back. "It's so weird."

Katia put her menu back as well then looked at Mike. "I don't really understand it either." She shrugged then furthered her comments. "I just don't think she cares… about herself."

"You mean Ashley doesn't care about herself?" clarified Mike.

Katia nodded at her friend. "Yeah, I think so."

Erin quietly sighed because she could think of another person that did the same thing.

Sara leaned over to her girlfriend and whispered, "That's the pot calling the kettle black."

Erin slightly smirked but quickly lost it when Katia looked at them. "When you going to tell Ashley?"

Katia folded her hands on top of the table. "I think tomorrow morning."

"Doesn't she work tomorrow?" interjected Sara.

Slowly Katia nodded her head. "I'm pretty sure she does."

Mike shook his head. "Thank god Thanksgiving break is coming up."

"Amen," agreed Sara. She finally decided on her meal for tonight so she folded up her menu.

"Aren't you going with Ashley?" inquired the roommate.

"Yeah, Ashley invited me to go with her." Katia shifted a little in her seat. "I'll be meeting her mother and two brothers."

"Oooh two brothers?" excitedly asked Mike.

Katia instantly glared at him. "I don't think so, Mike." She pointed a finger at him. "Stick to your beefy burritos."

Mike snickered but suddenly his face brightened up. "We were suppose to go tonight."

It seemed to dawn on Katia as well and she frowned. "Damn."

"Tomorrow," promised Mike.

"But what about Maria?" Katia looked up at the server when a lemonade reappeared in front of her. "Thank you," she whispered to him.

Mike shook his head. "She'll come with us."

Katia pulled her drink closer. "Mike, are you sure?"

From the corner of his eye, Mike could see how Erin and Sara were tense. "Yeah, I'm positive." He smiled at the server when he got his beer. "Maria will enjoy it."

"Alright," readily agreed Katia.

The server, Michael, brushed his hands on the side of his pants then bent down to one knee. He pulled out his order pad and pen then looked at Erin first. "What would you like?"

Erin puckered her lips some then peered up from her open menu. "The rack of lamb." She swayed her head left and right a few times then said, "Medium-well."

Michael continued to take the orders from the rest of the group. Afterwards, he walked off just when another server arrived with the appetizer for them. All at once, everybody started pulling the onion apart.

"When you leaving with Ashley?" probed Mike.

"Next Monday after my bay class."

"Right afterwards?" asked Erin, she was remotely surprised.

Katia shook her head some. "Ashley finishes work at five so we're going to leave soon as she gets to her house." She fell silent for a moment as she swirled a few onion sticks in the special sauce. "I'm meeting her at her house." She thoughtfully ate her onion then lifted an eyebrow at Erin. "What you doing?"

"I'm going home," replied Erin.

"Me too," agreed Sara. "Long haul to Fredrick Maryland."

Katia looked over at Mike. "You going to Easton?"

Mike was taking a drink from his beer. When he put it down, he nodded then replied, "Yeah… it'll just be mom and I."

"That'll be good," agreed Katia but Mike rolled his eyes at her. "Not so good?"

Mike huffed while he pulled loose some of the onion. "Knowing my mom, we'll get into a fight or something."

Katia felt her heart sink for him. She had her own problems with her family but she always considered them minor to what Mike dealt with day in and day out. Mike only had his careless mother, homophobic step sister, and a father who ran out on them many years back. She knew often that she helped give him a feeling of a true sister in his life but it was still never the same for him. "Maybe it'll go well."

"I hope so," quietly agreed Mike. He grabbed his beer again and considered Thanksgiving break. "When does class start? That following Monday?"

"Yeah," replied Sara, "on the first."

"Then we start getting ready for exams." Erin grumbled a little. "And thank god it'll be Christmas break."

"When are the exams?" probed Mike.

"I think…." Katia's eyebrows knitted together. "I think they start on the fifteenth and run until the twenty-second."

"Seriously?"

Katia's attention flickered over to Sara. "Yeah, if I remember right."

"And we come back on the twenty-fifth of January," added Erin before she drank some of her beer.

Sara looked over at her girlfriend. "We're going to have to do something together."

Erin grinned into her mug as she finished her drink of beer. She put the mug down and was nodding as she swallowed. "We will," she promised.

"We're going to have to hook up to," mentioned Mike. He slapped Katia's leg to get her attention.

Katia laughed and nodded. "Yes, love," she taunted.

Mike hastily shot a dirty look at his friend. "Funny."

Katia just winked back and pulled her lemonade over to take a drink.

The group continued to talk through the rest of the meal. It was a little after seven o'clock when they left and drove back to the Wal-mart. Katia left her car on for her friends while she raced inside and paid for her photos. As she slowly walked back to her car, she flipped through the photos in the dimly lit parking lot.

"God," she breathed and stared at the perfect photo of Laurel and her boyfriend kissing. She put the photos back inside of the sleeve and put the photos away. She got into her car and instantly her friends made demands for the photos.

Katia slightly laughed and handed one pack to Sara and Erin in the back. "Here, Mike." She handed him her other pack to him.

Mike's smirk grew as he reached up to flip on the over head light. He ran through the photos and every now and again he laughed. "She is screwed!" He laughed and looked back at the girlfriends. "Trade?"

Sara just finished looking at them with her girlfriend. She put them back in the green photo holder and held it up. "Katia, you did yourself in."

"Me?" Katia laughed and stopped playing with her car radio. "Laurel did it to herself."

Mike suddenly whistled and stared at the photo of Laurel and her boyfriend kissing. "Ashley is going to be hot."

"She already is," muttered Katia.

Mike's head quickly snapped around. "What?"

Katia looked and blinked at him. "What?"

"What'd you say?" Mike had a slight grin and a suspicious look.

Katia shrugged and replied, "I was agreeing, she'll be mad when she sees those photos." Mike narrowed his eyes at her but looked back to the photos. Katia secretly smiled to herself and continued flipping through the radio stations on her radio.

"Well I'm satisfied that she's cheating on Ashley," announced Erin. She put the photos away and handed them to Mike. "Let's go home."

Sara grinned and patted Katia's right shoulder. "Home, Jeeves."

Katia shot a dark look at Sara. "That's Genevieve." Everybody laughed at her and she grinned as she put her car into drive. She quickly headed out onto the main street and drove through actually Lancaster until they got onto route 1. 

***

Katia closed her bedroom door and tried to be quiet so she wouldn't wake her tired roommate. She went to her closest and flipped her head forward; she dried her wet hair a little more. Satisfied that she'd towel dried it enough, Katia hung up the damp towel in her closet so it could dry.

Katia already had her bra, underwear, and jeans on but she was fishing around for a shirt. She finally decided to put on a black long sleeve thermal shirt and put her tight black fleece on after that. Carrying her shoes in her right hand, Katia sat at her desk and quickly tied her Sketchers.

It was roughly seven thirty in the morning and Katia had only gotten a few hours of sleep last night because she was so nervous. She knew that Ashley would be starting work at nine this morning so she was hoping to catch her before she started work.

Katia pulled her phone free from its charger then she quietly stepped out of the room. She went into the cluster bathroom to get some privacy as she called Ashley. She was surprised when Ashley answered her cell phone.

"Morning." Katia stepped over to the toilet and put the top down. She then sat on the toilet. "I'm pretty good." She chewed on her lower lip and bent forward. "I was hoping I could stop by this morning, Ash." She inhaled deeply when Ashley asked her why. "I need to… well its really important, Ashley." She straightened up when her stomach slightly dropped in worry. "Okay, I'll be there in a few minutes." She stood up from the toilet and grabbed the bathroom door knob but didn't open the door. "Okay… bye." She closed up her phone and hurried back into her bedroom.

Katia quickly gathered her purse and pulled her jacket off her desk chair. She swiped her room keys from her desk then silently rushed out of the bedroom. She knew she needed to be back by nine o'clock for her first class. But before she left the room, she cursed under her breath and raced back to her desk. She grabbed the two stacks of photos then quietly tried to leave again.

It only took Katia fifteen minutes to make it to Ashley's house since the roads were fairly quiet. When she pulled into Ashley's driveway, she saw Ashley in the garage and already dressed in her uniform. She was slightly surprised that Ashley was prepared for work this early since she did have another hour before she needed to leave. She just figured Ashley was an early riser than most.

Ashley looked up after locking her Mercedes. She zipped up her leather officer jacket and slowly strolled out of her open garage. "Morning, K."

Katia slightly smiled at her best friend as she closed her car door.

The trooper slightly tilted her head when she noted the two stacks of photos in the green photo envelopes.

Katia saw her friend looking at them and it made her uneasy. Her body went a little weak and she started to breathe deeper.

"Come inside," suggested the trooper. She brought her hand to Katia's back once she stepped ahead of her. As she walked to the front door, she realized her best friend hadn't said a single word yet. For some reason, it unnerved her and she wondered if today would be better than yesterday. She now had her doubts that it would be by the way Katia was so tense.

Katia went inside first and walked over to Ashley's couch. She sat down but didn't settle into the couch, still too tense and scared.

Ashley sat down as well and was tempted to relax into the sofa but her friend's worried expression made her hesitate. "Katia, what is it?" She furrowed her eyebrows when Katia brought the photos forward and put them between them.

Katia inhale an unsteady breath and forced herself to go through with this. "Um…" She dropped her head and stared at the two stacks of photos in her lap. She tried to think of the best way to start this conversation but none of them settled well with her.

"Just start at the start," suggest Ashley, knowing her friend needed the suggestion.

Katia faintly nodded and lifted her head back. "You remember a week ago or so when we went out to dinner for Chinese?" When Ashley nodded, she continued. "Well you remember how you forgot to get your cell phone so I said I'd go get it?"

"Yes," whispered Ashley. She wasn't sure if she liked where this was going.

"Well I…." Katia sighed and reached for some strength inside of her. "I took Laurel's cell phone and home number and put them into my cell phone." She fell silent and saw how Ashley's eyes slightly darkened at her. She tried to not let it stop her to explain the situation but she felt like she'd just betrayed her friend. "On Sunday evening, after you and I talked on the phone, I actually… called Laurel's house number."

Ashley was endeavouring to stay calm and clear minded. "Go on."

Katia tried not to flinch at the hard tone. "A guy actually answered the phone and I played dumb asking for Amanda. This guy said I had the wrong number and that it was his girlfriend's number." She stopped and considered Ashley for a moment. She couldn't figure out what was running through Ashley but she continued with her story. "I kept urging that it was Amanda's number and he said no again and that the number is listed under Laurel Fielding. After that, I hung up."

Ashley's heartbeat was growing faster and her ears pounded. Despite her rising anger, she managed to keep a cool demeanour.

"When I found that out…" Katia started to lift the packs of photos some. "Erin, Sara, Mike and I all drove up to Lancaster yesterday." She swallowed. "That's why I wasn't in class."

Ashley faintly nodded then whispered in a steely tone, "I see."

Katia dipped her head forward a little and she want to be anywhere but here yet she wanted her best friend to know the truth. She forced herself to look up at Ashley again. "I managed to get several photos of Laurel and her boyfriend." She tapped the stack of photos against her leg and added, "That's what these are." She slightly lifted them again in offer to Ashley.

Ashley didn't move for a moment, her eyes unfocused, and her thoughts everywhere. She gradually reached forward and took the photos from her best friend. She braced herself as she opened the first pack and slowly flipped through each photo. She recognized her girlfriend's house as well as her car but she'd never seen the man or his car.

Katia felt her body scream with fear but she remained anchored into her spot beside Ashley. She didn't know what to expect because she'd never truly crossed Ashley the wrong way. She watched as Ashley's eyes grew hauntingly darker and more distant as each photo pass by her view. She then sensed Ashley trading the stack of photos and looked at the second grouping.

Ashley paused a little longer on the last few photos of Laurel and the mysterious man kissing together. What actually slightly intrigued her was the photo ahead that depicted the man touching Laurel's stomach in a very caring manner. She carefully slipped the photos back inside the slips and looked at Katia. "May I keep these?" she whispered in an even tone.

Katia only nodded and put the first stack in her friend's hands. "The negatives are there too," she quietly mentioned.

"Thank you." Ashley tightly held the photos in her hands. "I'll be right back." She quickly rose up and disappeared into the computer room.

Katia decided she couldn't sit any longer so she got up and neared the door. She glanced at her watch and saw it was close to eight o'clock. She quickly lifted her head when the dark trooper appeared in front of her again. "Ashley-"

"I need to go to work," cut off the state trooper.

Katia faltered and dropped her head at the cold interjection she received. She couldn't decide whether Ashley was just as angry at her as she was at Laurel. When she raised her head back up, she found shadowy grey eyes just staring back at her.

"You need to get to class," coldly reminded the trooper.

"I don't have class un…." Katia fell short under the icy stare of her best friend. She thought she should let it go so she turned around to the door and headed for it. She opened the door and felt Ashley come up behind her. She thought she could never feel this remote and almost lost from Ashley, it was unsettling.

Ashley pulled the door open wider when Katia opened it but then she went tense when Katia turned to her. She wasn't sure what Katia was going to say but she felt too numb to care. Yet as she studied her friend's face, she could tell Katia was trying to understand what was happening and Ashley wanted to shut Katia out even more. After a few quiet seconds, she expected her friend to turn away and walk off but instead Katia stepped closer and unexpectedly wrapped her arms around Ashley. Ashley just froze and didn't know how to react.

Katia could only hope her friend would hug her back. She rested her head against Ashley's chest. "I'm sorry," she whispered, "about lying to you." She then lifted her head and peered up into hard grey eyes. "But I won't apologize for going up there." Her eyes somewhat stung but she fought her tears. "I couldn't let her get away with it, Ashley."

Ashley slightly dropped her head back. She sucked in a deep breath and made herself feel her emotions for Katia. She brought her arms around Katia as she lowered her head down onto Katia's head. "I know," she finally whispered in a gentle tone.

Katia lowered her head back down and closed her eyes as her arms tightened around Ashley. She couldn't understand why she was so upset but apart of her figured it was because she sensed Ashley's hurt.

Ashley gradually lowered her head until her chin rested on Katia's head. She closed her eyes and slowly let the warmth of the hug break apart her anger. She felt a small shiver ripple through Katia so in response, she tightened her arms. "Its okay, Katia," she uttered, "I'm not mad at you."

After awhile, Katia inhaled deeply and the leather filled her. She tried to ignore the enjoyment she found in it as she pulled back some but still in each other's arms. "Are you going to be okay?"

The state trooper faintly nodded. "I will be." She knew Katia was determined to find out what was going to happen so she knew she needed to explain that. "I think I'll be making a trip up to Lancaster tonight."

Katia swallowed the lump down in her throat. "Will you be okay to go up?"

"Yes," whispered Ashley. "I need to do this on my own." She thought back to the photos before saying, "She's made a fool out of me."

"She's the fool, Ashley." Katia was holding onto her friend's hips and she gave them a squeeze. "She's going to loose you."

Ashley considered it but slightly grinned. "Maybe not just me." She lost her grin but her eyes twinkled darkly.

Katia was about to ask, her mouth open but she closed her mouth after she decided it was best not to know. "I know you need to get to work but… call me, okay?"

"I will," promised the older woman. She released Katia. "Come on." She signalled to the second door.

Katia turned and headed out of the house with Ashley behind her. She stopped in the driveway and turned to Ashley behind her. "Be careful, Ashley."

"I will be," promised the state trooper. She tried to give a smile but it was too weak to convince her friend.

Katia let it go and only nodded. "Try and take it easy today."

Ashley didn't say anything but did nod to assure her friend. She was about to step away but a second hug from Katia stopped her. She quickly but tightly hugged Katia back before saying, "Go."

"Okay… I'll see you, Ash." Katia offered a smile despite things.

Ashley slightly smiled back then walked to her car. She heard Katia get into her car and the older Mercedes's engine roared to life. She stood beside her car and opened the door while, from the corner of her eye, she watched her younger friend drive away. After a heavy sigh, Ashley got into her car and started it then drove to work.

**To be continued.**


	17. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

First Sergeant Ashley Carver looked up from her paperwork when Trooper Tern approached her desk. "Yes?" She lifted an eyebrow for emphasis.

Officer Tern tried not to falter under the hard stare, she was still a rookie and she'd already heard stories of other officers. "Sergeant, there are a few college kids at the front desk requesting to talk to you." She went silent but then recalled another piece of information. "They said they know you."

Sergeant Carver slightly narrowed her eyes and asked, "Who are they?"

"I… I don't know, sir." Officer Tern already realized her newest mistake. "Three women."

"Alright." Ashley looked down at her paperwork. "I'll be there in a moment."

"Yes, sir." Officer Tern quickly left and returned to the front desk. She let out a sigh of relief now that she was away from the strict first sergeant.

"Hey, Carver."

Ashley sighed at another interrupted. She looked up but slightly smiled when it was Officer Ralph Wheatly. "Hey, Ralph. What you got for me?"

"That information you wanted." Officer Wheatly dropped a manila folder right on top of Sergeant Carver's stack of paperwork.

Ashley almost growled but she'd moved her hands out of the way in time. She capped her annoyance and looked at the name on the folder. "What took so damn long, Ralph?" She turned the folder and started to open it.

"You're going to kiss my ass later, Carver." Ralph Wheatly pointed at the folder and said, "I pulled up his juve records too."

Ashley Carver's head whipped up, a little surprise written on her face. "Ralph, those are sealed… how'd…."

Officer Wheatly slightly grinned. He took a step closer, bent forward closer to Ashley, and whispered, "I have a friend that helped me out." He paused as his eyes flickered down to the open folder then back at Ashley. "It seems this kid had some problems when he was young." He shrugged as he straightened back up. "So thought you could use the information."

"That's great, Ralph." Sergeant Carver closed up the folder after she decided to look at it later. "Aren't you due up for a promotion soon, Wheatly?"

Ralph Wheatly suddenly sheepishly grinned. "Yes."

"Good." Sergeant Carver rose up from her chair. "Thank you again, Ralph."

"Anytime, Ashley." Officer Wheatly winked then strolled off.

Ashley Carver decided she needed to talk to these college students that were waiting for her. She already guessed who it might be and wasn’t remotely surprised when she came around the front desk and saw the three young women.

"Ashl," first spoke up Sara but a sudden jab cut her off.

"Sergeant Carver, we need to talk to you," interject Erin.

Ashley folded her arms over her chest and stared at Sara Miller, Haley Danver, and Erin Mathews. She started to shake her head as she wondered what they could possible want now. "What's this about?"

Haley stepped up to the front desk and grasped the edges. "Its about Bobby Fluehr."

Ashley tensed and tried to hid her instant fear for Katia. "Hold on… I'll be right with you." She disappeared into the back of the offices.

Haley looked back at her two friends and her eyes lowered to the pack of photos in Erin's right hand. Her attention was suddenly pulled away when Sergeant Carver opened the door to the back offices.

"Follow me, please." Ashley held the door open as the girls all walked into the back with her. She then led them down to an interrogation room in the back and let them go inside first. When she came in last, she closed the door and said, "Sit down."

The three girls all pulled out seats but remained silent.

Sergeant Carver took a seat at the head of the large table. She looked between the three of them and saw how scared and worried they were. After a deep breath, she finally asked, "What's going on?"

The three friends looked between each other, none of them sure what to say. Erin was the first to do anything; she put the envelope of photos onto the table.

Ashley sighed at seeing another stack of photos; they reminded her of the stacks that she received from Katia three days ago. She hesitantly took them and opened them up only to find a very dark group of photos. She stared at the first photo of two young men: one was Bobby Fluehr and the other unknown. "Who is this?"

Erin looked at the person Ashley pointed to in the photo. "Donald Narrows."

The sergeant turned the photo around and flipped it over. She quietly went through the next couple of photos and realized why they were taken. She turned the now upside down stack back over and looked up at the women. "Who took these?"

"I did," confessed Erin.

"Care to explain what's going on?" Ashley lifted an eyebrow.

Erin took a deep breath before going into her story. "Okay… this is from the beginning." She looked over at Haley and lifted an eyebrow at her.

Haley knew she needed to explain the start so she looked at the state trooper. "Several weeks ago, I found out from a friend of mine that Bobby Fluehr might be a dealer on campus. It didn't mean much to me at the time until Katia started to date him." She stopped to take a breath but then continued. "I went to Sara and Erin and told them what I found out. They suggested I go and tell Katia so I did during a lunch date with Katia."

"Katia didn't believe us," picked up Erin. "Well she did but to a point and she kept saying she was going to confront Bobby but has yet to." She glanced at the photos then back at Ashley. "So Mike, Sara, Haley and I spoke to Haley's roommate, Colleen, because of who she dates."

"And who is that?" probed Ashley.

"Him." Erin pointed to Donald Narrows in the photo. She pulled her hand away as her amber eyes met Ashley. "We asked Don... Donald Narrows if he could setup a meeting with Bobby." She looked over at Sara and gave her a faint nod.

Sara understood the acknowledgement so she reached into her pocket to pull out a zip lock bag that had several white pills in it. As Ashley picked up the bag to inspect the pills, she said, "They're roofies that Don bought from Bobby… about twenty a pop."

Ashley Carver lowered the bag on top of the photos.

"I took these photos just on Tuesday. I was hiding in some bushes and managed to get several photos of the exchange," explained Erin. "We did this originally to prove to Katia that Bobby is a dealer."

"But we all agreed that we needed to turn in Bobby for selling roofies so we came to you," hastily added Sara.

"Also, we're hoping you can talk to Katia," interjected Haley.

Ashley was looking between each person and wishing only one would talk.

"Ashley?" Erin saw the trooper look at her so she explained more information. "Bobby has also been rumoured to rape a lot of girls on campus but nobody can prove it because he uses the roofies."

"Wait," cut in Ashley, "have these rapes been reported?"

"We don't think so," replied Haley, "because the women that are raped are too scared."

"That and the fact they can't completely remember so they're not sure if it happened or not," added Sara.

Ashley folded her arms over her chest and leaned back into her chair. "Have you shown these photos to Katia at all?"

"No," replied Erin, "she doesn't know anything about them or the setup."

Ashley nodded her approval.

"There is something else too," recalled Sara. She sat up and looked at Ashley. "This is something Don told us all. He said that Bobby is known for using roofies on his girlfriends if they don't give him sex. Or if they dump him, he'll get back at them by raping them."

Ashley's jaw tightened up but she tried to separate her emotions from her objectivity as an officer. "Tell me about this Donald Narrows."

Haley sighed and knew she needed to explain it. "Like Erin said earlier, Don dates Colleen… my roommate. Don use to sell drugs on campus and he was apart of Bobby's group but he got out of it like… a year ago, I think." She stopped so she could catch her breath then continued. "He only agreed to help because we said we could convince you not to arrest him."

Ashley Carver almost let out a groan but she retained it. "How large is Bobby's gang?"

"We're not sure," confessed Haley. "Don would know better but we think Bobby buys from a dealer on the street."

Sergeant Carver perked up at the information. "Alright…." She pushed up out of her chair and walked over to the window.

Haley watched her and wondered what the officer was considering.

Erin turned in her chair and looked up at Ashley. "What do you want us to do?"

Sergeant Carver turned around and leaned against the windowsill. "I take it Mike knows about this, correct?"

"Yes," replied Erin.

Ashley faintly nodded and her eyes lowered to the floor. "First, I'm going to need signed statements from each of you." She lifted her head and focused on them, her gaze questioning.

"That's fine," agreed Erin.

Haley nodded her agreement.

"Fine with me," also agreed Sara.

The sergeant folded her arms over her chest. "Do any of you know where Donald Narrows lives? On or off campus?"

"On campus, I think," spoke up Haley.

"Good." Ashley Carver pushed off the windowsill. "Where is Mike? I'm going to need to talk to him too."

"I think he's still in class," replied Erin. "He'll be finished around four-thirty."

Ashley glanced at her silver watched then nodded. "Alright… let me get some notepads for each of you." She picked up the stack of photos and bag of possible rohypnol drug. "I'm going to keep these."

"That's fine," agreed Erin, "the negatives are in there too."

"Thank you. I'll be right back." Sergeant Carver walked out of the interrogation room.

Sara looked at her girlfriend. "What you think she'll do?"

"I don't know," quietly admitted Erin.

Haley sighed and folded her arms on top of the table. "This is like going to suck."

Erin shook her head. "Don't jinx it."

Suddenly the door opened again and Ashley entered with three yellow notepads and pens. She gave each college student a pad and pen to write down their statements. "I'm going to need all the details from what you three have done." Her eyes then flickered over to Erin. "Especially yours, Erin with the setup you did with Donald."

Erin faintly nodded as she took the pad and pen from the trooper.

"After you write them, let me know and I'm going to have them typed up." Ashley Carver stepped back. "Once they have each of your statements typed, you'll need to sign them."

"Ashley," interrupted Erin, "what is going to happen?"

"Yeah, we're really worried about Katia," added Sara.

"I know." Ashley quickly looked between them all and realized they were really worried. She sighed, grabbed her chair from earlier and pulled it back out. She sat down and looked between them before saying, "Unfortunately I can't do anything right now."

"What?" Sara instantly got annoyed. "Why? You can't just let him stay on campus." She ran her hand through her brown hair. "He's a threat… especially to Katia."

Sergeant Carver took a few deep breathes and looked at Sara. "I understand, Sara but there's more to this than just arresting Bobby Fluehr."

"Like what?" hotly protested Sara.

Erin reached over and grasped her girlfriend's hand. "Sara," she coaxed. "There's a bad drug problem in Salisbury… he's obliviously one of the links." She gazed at Ashley now for confirmation.

Ashley slowly nodded her head. "There's a lot going on here, Sara." She took a moment to consider her next words carefully. "Trust me, I'm worried about Katia too… you know that however this is a… delicate situation. There's a lot riding on this." She slightly dipped her head and locked her eyes with Sara. "Katia will be okay… you just have to trust me."

Sara quietly stared at Ashley and seemed to judge her words. Very slowly she nodded her agreement and looked away. "I will kill him myself if he does anything to her."

"You won't be the only one," whispered Ashley and she suddenly stood up. "Get your statements written for me… just come and get me when you're finished." She quickly went to the door and left them. She hurried down to her captain's office and knocked on his door.

"Come in," called Captain Smith.

Sergeant Carver opened the door, stepped in, and closed the door behind her. "Captain."

"What's going on, Carver?" Captain Smith pushed his paper aside and leaned back into his chair.

"Not to be rude, sir but have you contacted the narcotics officer?"

"Yes." Captain Smith straightened up when he noted the very serious expression on Ashley's face. "What's happening?"

"I'm afraid we might have to move quickly with this operation, sir." Ashley put her hands behind her back. "I've just had three Salisbury students come in to speak with me. They've brought forward information about a campus dealer, whom buys directly from a street dealer."

"They have names?" inquired the captain.

"Even better than that, sir. They setup a mini operation on Tuesday evening and photographed an exchange between the campus dealer and a previous gang member." She hesitated then added, "They also brought in several pills of rohypnol."

"Christ," whispered the surprised captain.

"They're writing out their statements now," furthered explained the sergeant. "I also have the name of the ex-gang member." She tilted her head to one side some then stated, "I believe we must do this undercover operation right away, captain. Otherwise I am afraid the campus dealer may conduct a rape."

"How can you be sure?" urged the captain.

Ashley inhaled deeply. "The dealer is also a possible rapist. The ex-gang member has passed along to these three college students that the dealer will rape his girlfriends or ex-girlfriends depending on the situation."

Captain Smith sucked in his breath and leaned back into his chair. "What is the name of this campus dealer?"

"I'm sorry, sir. His name is Bobby Fluehr."

"Do we have any information on him?"

A slight grin pulled at Ashley's lips. "I was weary of him earlier, captain so I requested Officer Wheatly to pull his information. He retrieved Fluehr's files from Calvert County police and also unsealed his juvenile records."

Captain Smith couldn't help his own grin. "Excellent." He was about to ask something but hesitate when a second thought came to him. "Why do you believe Fluehr will be prompted to rape?"

Sergeant Carver shifted some and replied, "He is currently dating, captain."

"That merits concern," agreed the captain. "His girlfriend should be spoken with then, Carver."

"I would not suggest it, captain."

Captain Smith was somewhat shocked but he knew Ashley had her reasoning. "Explain, Carver."

"I'm afraid, sir if his girlfriend discovers any of this information she will confront him or break up with him." The trooper clenched her hands behind her back. "If either happens, it will promote Fluehr to rape her. Plus it will only alert him."

"True," quietly agreed the captain. He folded his hands in his lap and studied Ashley momentarily. He then finally questioned, "What are your thoughts, Ashley?"

"Captain, I believe the operations with Andres Williams should start immediately. I have my suspicions that he is most likely the dealer to Fluehr. Once we have our proof with Williams then we should arrest both Fluehr, his gang, and Williams." She considered her facts a little more. "I do not wish to rely on either Fluehr or his gang for testimony." Her eyes slightly darkened. "Or strike a deal with them for information as the D.A. might proceed to do."

Captain Smith considered the options, he was quiet for awhile. He slowly leaned forward, picked up his phone, and dialled a number. He listened to it ring then somebody picked up. "I need to speak with Detective Jones. Thank you." He looked up at Ashley. "Take care of your witnesses, Carver. I'll get Jones here tomorrow."

"Thank you, captain." Ashley faintly smiled and started to leave.

"And make sure you send that rohypnol to get tested, Carver."

"Yes, captain." The state trooper gave a brief nod then quickly left the office.

***

Katia put her yellow travel bag into the trunk of Ashley's Mercedes.

"You get everything in there?" called Ashley as she walked across the front patio and to her car. Strung across her right shoulder was her duffle bag for the vacation.

Katia looked up and smiled. "Yeah, I'm set to go. I just need to lock up my car."

The state trooper tossed her black duffle bag into the trunk, next to Katia's bag. "Why don't you park your car in the garage," she suggested while closing the trunk. She looked over and saw her garage door was closed. "Go ahead and pull your car up. I'll get the garage door open."

"Okay." Katia pulled out her car key and got into her Mercedes.

Ashley strolled up to the garage and keyed in her code. She stepped away when the garage door rolled up and Katia drove in and parked the Mercedes. When Katia opened her car door, she yelled, "Bring any cds you want, K."

"Alright," called back the younger woman. She ducked back inside and grabbed her long black cd case from the passenger side floor. She zipped it up and she got out of her car. She slammed the door, locked it, and walked out of the garage. "Thanks."

Ashley smiled and keyed in the code again so the door would roll back down. "Have everything, right?"

"Yup. I'm ready to go."

"Great." Ashley stepped away from the garage with Katia beside her. "Hop in the car and I'm going to lock up the house."

Katia nodded and walked to Ashley's car. She got in and was happy Ashley had left the car running with the heater and heated seats. She instantly snuggled in and buckled her seatbelt. She was rather nervous about going to Carvers' home but she was also excited to be spending Thanksgiving with Ashley.

She really wasn't quite sure what to expect but this was one of the few Thanksgiving she was happy to attend. She wasn't much for Thanksgiving with her family but she knew this year's would be better. Katia couldn't help but wonder what the ride over would be like. She hadn't spent much time with Ashley in the past week or so. Ashley had been too caught up with work and even had to work this past Saturday, a full six day week. Katia also was extremely busy with tests in most of her classes except for her bay class.

Neither of them had really discussed the ongoings with Laurel or much else. Ashley had simply called Tuesday night and told her that she'd broken up with Laurel and that she was okay. And Katia had to admit, a part of her felt bad about the break up between Laurel and Ashley yet that was only a small piece of her. The rest of Katia was rather happy and mostly because she knew Ashley would move on and hopefully to somebody much better than Laurel Fielding.

Katia slightly jumped out of her musings when Ashley got into the car.

"Warm enough?" inquired Ashley.

Katia simply nodded.

The state trooper gave a faint smile but looked out the rear window as she put the car in reverse. She backed out onto Sharptown Road, put it in drive, and drove towards route 50. "How'd your tests go today?" she casually asked.

"Pretty well," admitted Katia. She stretched her legs out and wrapped her hands around the case of cds. "I studied enough."

"Good." Ashley slowed her car down and came to a stop at the end of the road. She put her left blinker on and watched the traffic on route 50. When there was a break, she pulled out and sped up to sixty-five. Once she was settled in, she relaxed and decide to continue the conversation. "How many did you have?"

Katia sucked in her breath and did a mental count. "Four… didn't have one in my bay class."

Ashley slowly nodded.

Katia shifted a little in her seat. She felt slightly unease for some reason and mostly because of Ashley. She couldn't explain it but she sensed some kind of difference in Ashley and even a distance between them. "How had work been? I know you've been pretty busy."

"Yeah," admitted the trooper. "A lot of stuff going on." Her voice was remote and unfocused since she was concentrating on getting onto route 13 north. "I had to work Saturday too."

Katia slightly nodded her head. "Yeah, you mentioned that in a text message, I think."

"Yeah, sorry about that." Ashley started to speed up when she turned onto 13 North. "I'm glad its Thanksgiving break now."

"Me too," agreed Katia.

Ashley slightly smiled and she looked over at her best friend. "And I'm really glad we're spending it together." Her smile grew when Katia blushed in response.

"I am too," shyly whispered Katia.

The state trooper's smile turned into a grin. She reached over and put her hand over Katia's hand. "How has everything been?" Her tone was warm and smooth.

Katia picked up on the difference and she was tempted to turn her hand over to lock it with Ashley's but she didn't do it. "Okay, I guess." She swallowed and looked up at Ashley. "I just really missed talking to you this past week."

"I know," agreed Ashley. "I'm really sorry… I was just so busy."

"Don't be sorry," urged Katia. She finally gave in and turned her hand over. She laced her fingers through Ashley's and was relieved when Ashley did it too. "I know how much you love your job."

"It's important to me," agreed the state trooper. "But so is my family." She soothingly rubbed her thumb across Katia's knuckles.

"I know…." Katia dipped her head as a smile appeared on her face. "That's why it's okay."

Ashley smiled at that and squeezed Katia's hand. "Thank you." She caught a glimpse of Katia's slightly confused expression so she clarified her gratitude. "Thank you for understanding."

Katia squeezed Ashley's hand briefly then her smile appeared again.

Ashley took a deep breath and adjusted some in her seat. "Any good music lately?"

Katia suddenly brightened up at the interest in music. "Yeah, there's actually this one song I want you to hear." She quickly squeezed Ashley's hand again then unlaced their hands. "Let me find it." She lifted up her case, unzipped it, and flipped through all the leaflets.

Ashley brought her hand back up to the steering wheel and focused on her driving. She was still in Salisbury and needed to be weary of the heavy traffic.

"You've heard of the Corrs, right?" Katia flatten out her case and stared at the white cd of the Corrs.

"I think so." The state trooper went through her mental inventory of music. "They did that song Breathless?" She glanced at her friend then back at the road. "A British band if I recall right."

"That's them," agreed Katia. "The whole cd is good but there's this one song I think you'd like."

"Pop it in."

Katia grabbed the cd in the case but hesitated to take it out of the sleeve. "But you have a six changer in the…." She faltered when her eyes locked on the silver cd head unit in the wood dash. Her jaw dropped and she quickly looked up at Ashley. "Ash, when did you get that?"

The older woman laughed and gave a wink to Katia. "Saturday I got it after work." She grinned as she briefly peered down at her silver Kenwood cd player that replaced her previous standard Mercedes cd head unit. "I got sick and tired of only playing cds from the trunk in the changer."

"Well you can't change them around unless you stop," agreed Katia. She bent to her left some and carefully looked over at the Kenwood player. Her lips pulled into a grin as she watched the various colours run across the face of the player. "It's really nice, Ash."

"Thanks." Ashley had a huge grin. With her right hand, she picked up a remote from the small nook in her dash. "Comes with a remote." She held it out to Katia.

Katia laughed and took the black remote. "Oh my god… I want one." She looked over all the buttons on the remote then back at the player. "Is it a lot better than the Mercedes one?"

"Oh yeah. The sound is a lot better."

Katia furrowed her eyebrows and looked at her friend. "Your sound system in here sounds way better than mine, Ash."

The state trooper laughed. "Well your car is eight years older than me."

"True," granted Katia. She carefully put the remote back down and kept studying the face on the player. "It has Sirius satellite?"

"Its satellite ready," replied Ashley, "but I didn't install it. I just don't have a need for it."

"I heard the satellite radio is commercial free."

"And twenty bucks a month." Ashley lifted an eyebrow at Katia. "It's not something I needed since this Kenwood can play MP3's."

Katia's head shot up, her eyes wide. "MP3's, really?"

Ashley chuckled then nodded her head. "It can also play Windows Media format too."

Katia was shaking her head and in absolute awe. "That's… awesome, Ash." She shifted her attention away from the cd player and to Ashley. "How much was it?"

Ashley sucked in her breath then replied, "Two hundred seventy-nine dollars."

"Holy shit!" Katia laughed a few times and sunk down in her seat. "That's a lot, Ash."

"It is but it's cheaper than a lot of the others I saw there." The older woman flashed a grin. "It costs a lot for it to play MP3's."

Katia shook her head and just couldn't believe it.

"You have your 4 Strings cd?" Ashley pushed a button on the Kenwood and the face carefully lowered. "I wanna show you another… feature."

Katia narrowed her eyes in suspicious but a grin played her lips. She flipped through her case until she found the 4 Strings burn cd that Ashley had made her. "Here." She carefully slipped it into the player and Ashley closed it up.

Ashley quickly forward the player until it got to track four, which was Take Me Away. "Ready?" She had the volume down extremely low.

"Okay," whispered Katia. She tensed as she watched Ashley turn up the volume knob. She felt her body shake and vibrate when the heavy bass shook through the car from the song.

Ashley continued to turn the volume up. She peered up at her rear view mirror and smirked as the mirror vibrated from the heavy bass. In the middle of the loud, booming music she barely heard Katia's hysterically laughter. She shook her head, an amused expression on her face, and she turned the music back down.

"I can't believe you, Ash!" Katia dropped her head back and laughed a few more times. "Oh my god!" She settled down and looked at her friend. "You put a subwoofer in the trunk!"

Ashley actually had to laugh too. "That's what that long black tube was in the trunk."

"I was wondering what that was but I didn't wanna say anything."

"Yeah, it's a Bazooka Tube… the smallest one." The trooper contently smiled at her friend's impressed look. "Open the glove compartment." When Katia had it open, she pointed to a small black box screwed onto the left side of the glove compartment. "That's the remote for the tube." She put her hand back on the steering wheel. "If you turn the knob to the right slowly it'll increase the bass."

"Yeah?" Katia evilly grinned.

"Try it," persisted Ashley. She reached for the Kenwood and turned the volume back up but not as loud as last time.

Katia leaned forward and carefully turned the black knob at a gradual rate. She distinctively heard the increase of the bass. She chuckled some as she turned the bass back to the previous setting.

The state trooper turned the music back down to a low background level.

"When did you do this?"

Ashley slightly grinned and replied, "Sunday." She glanced at Katia then continued to explain. "Well Saturday I bought the stuff after work at Best Buy. Then I installed it Sunday after I got back from the gym."

Katia nodded then quickly looked at her friend. "How was the gym?"

The older woman let out a huff. "I was sore somewhat." She grumbled some then muttered, "Duty is going to be tough."

"You'll have to work out the week after we get back," suggested Katia.

"Yeah I know." Ashley broke her attention away from the conversation so she could get on route 9 North.

Katia fell silent for a bit and she started to look out the windows. She saw the green sign that gave approximate miles to various towns along the route. She narrowed her eyes at the town named Laurel. She had yet to find out what went on Tuesday night between Ashley and Laurel.

Ashley knew the silence wasn't a good thing. She hadn't discussed with Katia about her break up and it wasn't only the break up that was Ashley's mind but several other things. Despite how nice it would be to see her family this weekend, she knew some confrontations would happen too.

Katia moved a little in her seat and slowly looked at her best friend. "What happened between you and Laurel?"

Ashley inhaled deeply and slowly let it out as she put her thoughts together. "It was… interesting."

The younger woman arched a curious eyebrow. "What happened?"

Ashley couldn't help her faint grin at how Katia was persistent. Gradually her grin fell and she went more serious. "After we left my house, I went to work early."

"Yeah, kinda thought you left early."

Ashley nodded her agreement. "I left early because I wanted to run that license plate number on that Civic."

Katia's head instantly turned. "You mean Laurel's…."

Ashley understood the unfinished question. "Yup." She flashed a devilish grin at Katia. "Found out the owner was an Eric Albright and I got all his information."

"God," breathed Katia in surprise. "What'd you do?"

"Well, I decided to call him at work." Ashley stole a quick look at her friend. She saw the surprised and awed expression masked over Katia's face. "I told him who I was and asked him if he knew a Laurel Fielding."

"What'd he say?" probed Katia. She'd straightened up in her chair and was carefully listening to Ashley's story.

"Eric said he knew Laurel and was her boyfriend. Then I explained to him that I was Laurel's girlfriend."

"Oh shit." Katia laughed but more out of surprised. "What'd he say, do? I mean was he pissed?"

"No," quickly replied Ashley. "He was really upset, Katia. I mean he didn't believe me for awhile and he said hew knew of me as Laurel's ex-girlfriend."

"He knew about you?" Katia looked over in astonishment.

"Yes, Laurel had told him that she and I had broken up like a month before they started to date." Ashley shook her head and reached over to adjust the temperature in the car. "The guy was upset. I convinced him it was true and the poor guy broke down crying on the phone."

Katia's mouth dropped open for a minute then she closed it. "Oh my god." She took a deep breath as if trying to comprehend such a deceiving lying person as that. "Did he know about Laurel's rape or pregnancy?"

"Oh that's the interesting part," replied Ashley, her voice a bit chilled now. "It seems the night that Laurel was raped she was with Eric." She paused then said, "And I mean _with_ Eric that night."

"That's why she didn't want to take the rape kit," concluded Katia aloud, "because it'd point to him." A thought occurred to her that made her smirk. "That's so sweet of her not to frame him."

Ashley grunted in response to the bad joke. "Yeah, she's a real sweetie alright."

"So what else happened?"

The state trooper sighed a little but she continued with the story. "Well, after Eric got over the shocker, I told him that we needed to deal with Laurel. I told him I was going to drive up that night to break up with her and find out from her what the hell was going on. He was quiet for a bit then he said he'd come by when I arrived so he could confront Laurel as well." She stopped as she collected her memories from that night. "I told him I'd probably be at Laurel's place around eight o'clock and he said he'd called up Laurel to let her know he was stoping by. We got off the phone after that."

Katia's lips curled into a devilish grin. Her voice was light and amused when she asked, "So what happened at Laurel's?"

Ashley actually laughed deeply. "That's the good part." She took a second to set her car at a cruising speed so she could focus on the story. The memories of Tuesday night started to surface and she told it to Katia.

Ashley had arrived at Laurel's house a little after eight o'clock and found a shocked Laurel standing at her front door when Ashley had knocked on the door. Ashley hadn't even bothered to go home to change out of uniform and figured it could be to her advantage. Earlier though, she had pulled her hair out of its bun so it'd fallen over her shoulders. She also left her trooper hat in the passenger seat in her car.

"Ashley?" Laurel hesitated in her breathing pattern but she quickly rid of her surprised look. "Come inside, honey." She took several steps back and opened the door wider.

"Thanks," muttered Ashley and she climbed up the steps. She came inside and her body started to warm up immediately so she unzip her leather jacket.

Laurel closed the door then came up to her girlfriend. "How are you?"

Ashley held back her snide remark and simply replied, "I've been better." She slipped her hands into her pockets. "You?"

Laurel had never seen her girlfriend this cold and distant before but she didn't let it worry her. "It was a long day." She then nodded to the kitchen. "Feel like something to drink?"

"No, thanks."

Laurel stopped in her tracks and came back to Ashley. "Are you sure you're okay?" she whispered and peered up into hard blue eyes. She shifted even closer to put her hands on Ashley's hips.

"Just perfect," whispered Ashley, her voice tight and strong. "Are you busy?"

Laurel studied her girlfriend for a moment and wondered why Ashley hadn't kissed her or given any other form of physical contact. "Um… well, I was expecting a friend of mine shortly." Laurel released Ashley's sides and made her way towards the phone that sat on a small table near the sofa. "Let me call him to cancel it."

Ashley quickly moved and put her hand on top of Laurel's hand when Laurel had grabbed the phone on the cradle. "That's okay." A menacing smile appeared on her face. "I don't mind company… I haven't for four months now. Why should I start now?"

Laurel's eyes narrowed and her brown eyes grew darker. "Ashley, what is going on?" She pulled her hand free from both the phone and Ashley's tight grasp. "Is it about the pregnancy?" she asked in a worried tone.

"That would be… apart of it," quietly agreed Ashley. She then ignored her girlfriend's questioning look and she went towards the kitchen. When she entered it, her eyes first locked on the dozen of red roses in the vase on the centre of the table. She corked an eyebrow at it. "Beautiful roses," she casually mentioned.

Laurel's eyes narrowed and she felt her skin start to crawl. "Mom sent them to me the other day."

Ashley's lips pressed together briefly and she wiped away her angry look because of the lie. She turned around on her heels to face Laurel once again. "How is your mom?"

Laurel crossed her arms over her chest. "Pretty well." She went quiet and seemed to have a staring contest with her girlfriend. She was running through the possible reasons why Ashley was in such a strange mood, a mood she'd never seen before once in her seven months of dating her.

Suddenly a knock at the door broke the spell.

Laurel felt her body weaken when she recalled who she was expecting tonight. "I'll-"

"Don't bother," cut off Ashley. "I got it." She gave a fake smile and came quickly across the room to the front door. She pulled the door open rather fast and grinned at the young man before her. "You must be Eric Albright."

Eric sadly smiled at the state trooper and stepped into the house. "It's good to meet you finally, Ashley." He held out his hand.

Ashley took the much smaller hand and briskly shook his hand. "Glad you made it."

"Anytime." After he released Ashley's hand, he looked over at his girlfriend. "Hi, honey."

Laurel blinked and looked between her two significant others. "How'd you two…."

Ashley brightly smiled at the unfinished question so happy it was asked. "Well baby, Eric and I thought we'd get together to surprise you." She crossed her arms over her chest. "So here you are...." She came right up to Laurel and her bright, fake expression suddenly dropped and she went extremely angry and growled, "Surprise."

Laurel narrowed her eyes. Her hands were fisting up at her sides. "It's not like you think, Ashley."

"Then what is it?" inquired Eric from further back.

Laurel looked at Eric then back at her girlfriend. "He doesn't mean anything to me, sweetie." She reached forward and grasped Ashley's sides. "It's just you and me, us."

Eric's features went rather dark when he heard Laurel.

"That's fucking bullshit," hotly whispered Ashley.

Laurel was breathing harder and harder with each passing second. "The baby is ours." She peered up with desperation written all over her face. "Ours, Ashley."

Ashley started to shake her head and the oddest confused expression on her face. "No, Laurel… that's not my baby." She took a few steps backwards.

"Yes it is," growled Laurel, "I got it for us."

Ashley sucked in a deep breath and held it when Laurel said that. "No," she harshly stated, "that is not my child, Laurel."

"You bitch," seethed Eric. He was breathing in deep rasps and his face was coated in tears. "You are fucking sick!"

"Shut up," snapped Laurel and she looked at Ashley again. "Eric and I aren't together, Ashley. He took advantage of me."

The state trooper was remaining in control of her anger but it was starting to falter. She reached into her jacket and pulled out a few loose photos. She looked down at them and stopped on one particular one. She held it up towards Laurel. "Yeah, it looks like he sure did."

Laurel glared at the photo of her and Eric romantically kissing in the kitchen.

"Oh here's another good one." Ashley held up the photo of Eric and Laurel in each other's arms. "Yeah, Eric definitely took advantage of you," she mocked and put the photo back inside her jacket.

"How the hell did you get those?' growled Laurel. Her attitude was starting to change. "Who took those?" Her mind raced about how her girlfriend could possibly get those photos. She then realized in the photo that her roses were on the kitchen table and that was rather recent event. Suddenly a memory fizzled up of her neighbour telling her that some young girl was in her front lawn taking pictures. "Katia," she hotly growled, "that little bitch."

Laurel never saw it happen but she suddenly was swung around and slammed against the wall to her left. She opened her eyes and flashing dark blues eyes burned into her. She tried to move but quickly realized that Ashley had her pinned by the shoulders.

"Don't," darkly whispered Ashley. "No more games, Laurel." She took a few heavy breaths then threateningly uttered, "Never, ever come near me again. Do not come near Eric either." She lowered her head closer to Laurel's face. "Don't even step foot in my state. And especially stay away from Katia." She started to squeeze Laurel's shoulders even tighter and she briefly enjoyed the fear sweeping across Laurel's face. "I promise you, I will make your life a living hell if you ever come into my life again."

"Ashle-"

"No," growled the state trooper. "No more, Laurel." Her eyes were growing darker and her body shook with anger. "If you dare do this to somebody else, I promise you the Pennsylvania State Police will be hearing from me." She then suddenly let go of Laurel and walked away. She came towards Eric and saw how stricken he was now. She felt her heart drop for him but her anger only increased at how hurt and fooled he was and probably worse than what Ashley was.

Ashley stopped and turned around to look at Laurel again. "Oh and Laurel?"

Laurel's unfocused and fearful eyes somewhat centred on the tall, dark cop.

"When that child is born, you are to give Eric full custody of the child."

Laurel shook her head. "No, I won't."

"Yes you will," countered Ashley, "Or I'll be happy to let the police know about your false alligations about your rape." She suddenly grinned at Laurel. "You'll be in jail and Eric will have the child anyway."

"That's blackmail," protested Laurel.

Ashley just darkly chuckled and grinned. She turned again and nodded at Eric.

Eric took a deep breath and started for the door but he faltered and looked back at Laurel. "You're disgusting, Laurel and you're sick." His eyes slitted and he tried to control his tears. "Thank god I'll never understand it." He shook his head and whispered, "I may forgive you but Hell never will." He turned his back on her, opened the front door, and walked out.

Ashley said nothing and quietly followed Eric out of the house. She closed the door and walked Eric to his car that was down the sidewalk a little ways. When they got to the driver's door, she studied him then asked, "Will you be okay?"

"Eventually." Eric pulled out his car keys from his black peacoat. "How are you doing?"

Ashley folded her arms over her chest. "Despite everything, I feel like I lost a lot of weight off my shoulders."

"I can understand." Eric fiddled with his keys a little but peered up at Ashley. "Thank you… for everything." He paused and tried to refrain from getting upset again. "Especially with the child… I couldn't let her keep that child." He dropped his head as he thought more about it. "She's been pregnant for over a month… pretty much two."

Ashley held her breath.

Eric tilted his head back again. "She's not fit to be a mother much less to my child."

"I agree." Ashley reached up between her jacket and into her breast pocket on her shirt. "If you have trouble getting custody later, then give me a call or for anything else." She produced her business card that adorned the Maryland State Police shield. "I'll burry her with the local police here. My cell phone is on there too. Call at anytime, Eric okay?"

Eric sadly smiled and took the card from the tall woman. "Thank you." He pulled out his wallet from his back pocket and started to tuck it away. "And please thank your friend, Katia, for helping out."

A small smiled tugged at the corners of Ashley's lips. "I will," she promised. "Take care, Eric." She held out her hand to him.

The young man felt better despite he had a long journey still ahead of him. He took the larger hand and briskly shook hands with Ashley. "You too, Ashley."

The state trooper gave a reassuring smile then walked away. She hurried back to her car before she got any colder.

Eric Albright also climbed into his car, started it, turned on his headlights, and drove off.

Ashley took a second to send a text message to Katia to let her know she was okay and headed home. She then started her car, backed out, turned her headlights on too, and then drove off. She could hoped she'd never have to return to this area again.

"Wow… that's amazing," whispered Katia. She leaned forward and put her cd case down on the floor but partially under her seat. "I can't believe that."

"Something huh?" whispered Ashley. She shook her head as she came to a stop sign. "Hey, put that cd in you wanted to play."

"Oh yeah." Katia laughed a little and bent forward again. She unzipped the case and flipped through the pages until she found the Corrs cd. "I'm surprised Laurel figured out I took the photos."

Ashley grinned. "She's crazy, Katia but she's not stupid." She pushed on her gas and went through the small four-way intersection.

"But still… I didn't think she would." Katia straightened up and reached over to open the Kenwood player. She pushed the eject button and took out her 4 Strings cd. She then carefully inserted the Corrs cd and after it loaded, she flipped to the thirteenth track. "She is crazy though."

Ashley laughed a little but she slowed down as she made a left onto route 26 after just entering Delaware. "Yeah she really is." She let out a deep sigh. "I just feel bad for Eric."

"I know," whispered Katia. "The poor guy… sounds like he really loved her."

"He did," quietly agreed Ashley, she then noted Katia had paused the music. "Play it, K."

Katia slightly laughed and hit the play button again.

The car suddenly boomed with a drum beat and after several seconds a woman's voice filled the car.

"They say that I'm crazy and it's probably true but I'm at my happiest just when I'm with you."

Ashley faintly grinned at the lyrics and she reached forward to turn the volume up even louder.

Katia chuckled because she knew her friend would love this song.

"There is a distance between us… so far that I can't reach," sung the lead singer, "The stage lights, they shine so brightly but still I find no peace and I'm a long, long way from you."

Katia glanced over and watched how Ashley's head was bobbing with the beat of the song. Katia couldn't help her huge grin as she started to get into the song too.

Suddenly a chorus broke out and sang, "I'd give it all up just for you, just to have you near me, I'd give it all up just for you. Your bring me up, you bring me down, you turn me inside out and I'd give it all up just for you."

Katia looked over at Ashley right when Ashley looked at her. Katia gave a shy grin and she blushed when Ashley winked at her.

Ashley heard the repeated chorus about to start. She took a deep breath and sang with the music. "Still I'd give it all up just for you." She looked over at Katia and smirked. "Just to have you near me."

Katia laughed as she flushed even deeper but she decided to go with it. She looked at Ashley and sang, "I'd give it all up just for you."

Ashley laughed then sang with Katia. "You bring me up, you bring me down. You turn me inside out and I'd give it all up just for you."

Katia laughed a little between her singing but she smiled at her best friend. She sang the lyrics with Ashley. "I'd give it all up just for you, just to have you near me." Katia now realized her body was rather warm from all the heat flashes and she was tempted to open the window.

Ashley suddenly reached over and grabbed Katia's leg then sang, "I'd give it all up just for you."

Katia dropped her head back and laughed even harder. She quickly reached over and hit the down window button in the centre console.

Ashley broke off from her singing and let go of Katia's leg as she hysterically laughed. She'd never seen Katia blush as much as did right now but Ashley even felt relief when the cold air flooded into the car.

Katia took a shaky breath and she hit the stop button the player. She pushed the button for the face to drop and she ejected the cd. "Well… I guess you like that song, huh?"

The state trooper let out a low snicker. "Yes, I'll have to copy that song off your cd."

"I thought so," teased Katia. She put the cd back in her case then she finally put the window back up. She pulled her cd case onto her lap and flipped through the various cds. "Wait, see if you like this band. "She flipped back to the start of her case and pulled out a yellow cd.

"Who is this?" probed the older woman.

Katia grinned and replied, "Texas."

"That's a state," taunted Ashley.

Katia rolled her eyes after just inserting the cd. She closed the face as she said, "No, it's a British band. I use to listen to this cd religiously when I was in high school." She grinned and also said, "I went through three cds on this album because I played it so much."

Ashley laughed at her friend's admission. She slowly turned up the volume but not too loud so they could still talk. "We should be at mother's in half an hour." She manoeuvred her car past an intersection and connected onto route 24. "I think mother is doing dinner for us all at seven-thirty."

"Us all?" prompted Katia.

Ashley grinned and explained it in great detail. "Lucus is driving over from College Park. So mother is hoping Lucus will arrive around the same time as you and I do." She then lifted an eyebrow at Katia before returning her focus to her driving. "Thomas and his wife won't be there though. They'll be there for Thanksgiving day of course."

"Right," whispered Katia, her stomach twisted in nervousness. It just firmly sank into Katia's mind that she was about to meet a lot of Carvers and probably more than she could handle. Her stomach dipped even more and her palms started to sweat a little. "Don't you have a niece or nephew too?"

"Yes." Ashley's lips curled into a grin. "The oldest is six, Benjamin or just Ben. The youngest is four, Katie."

"Okay… Ben and Katie… got it," whispered Katia.

Ashley smirked and asked, "Nervous, are we?"

"Yes," whimpered Katia, "I'm going to be Carver-ed."

Ashley suddenly broke out laughing and found it hard to concentrate on her driving but she managed. When she settled down, she licked her lips a little then said, "You'll be just fine."

"What are you talking about?" Katia looked up with wide eyes. "I can barely handle you let alone your family, Ash."

Ashley rolled her eyes but her grin didn't falter. "And to think you wanted to come with me."

"Yeah," muttered Katia, "what the hell was I thinking?"

Ashley chuckled and patted her friend's leg. "You'll be just fine." She had a happy smile glued onto her lips. "Mother can't wait to meet you."

"What?" Katia's head whipped around away from the passenger window. "She doesn't know me."

"Welllll… I wouldn't say that, K."

"What you mean?" Katia narrowed her eyes at her best friend. "What have you told her, Ash?"

The state trooper wiggled a little uneasily in her seat. "Um nothing much really."

"Yeah right." Katia was shooting a glare at her friend but the corners of her lips were starting a grin. "You probably gave her my biography then read the police reports on me to her."

Ashley laughed at her friend's joke. "Yes, that's all I do with my life. Investigate my friends' lives."

"It wouldn't surprise me," teased Katia. "So before somebody can date you, do they have to go through tests like a polygraph?"

The state trooper laughed but she actually considered the idea. "After Laurel, that's not a bad idea."

The younger woman laughed as well. "Yeah, first question is… are you dating already?"

"Are you pregnant? That would be next," joked Ashley.

"No, no," hastily cut off Katia. "The very first question would be, are you crazy and or insane?"

Ashley huffed at that. "No, I'd have to higher a phycologist first to diagnose them. They wouldn't know if they're insane or not."

Katia giggled at her friend and grinned at her. "Yeah, Ash I think you need to start monitoring your dating better."

Ashley rolled her eyes because to some degree she had to agree with Katia. "Never again, I swear."

"Don't jinx it," teased Katia, "because then you'd be dating me."

Ashley groaned very loudly just to be dramatic. "Then I would be the one seeing the shrink!"

"Ash!" Katia reached over and swatted her best friend's side.

A few deep chuckles shook Ashley's body but she looked over at Katia and warmly smiled at her. "I'm just teasing, K." She reached over and ruffled Katia's blond hair. "I'm sure you're loads of fun to date."

Katia growled when her hair was messed up. She reached up and fixed it while chiding, "Thanks." She then tried to give her best glare at her best friend. "I'd be more fun to date than some overprotective state trooper. You'd probably put some damn tracking system on me, give me curfews, and hold my hand when we cross a street."

Ashley laughed a few times at Katia. "I don't know about all that… well I would hold your hand across the street." She suddenly had a smug look. "Wouldn't want you to get hurt or anything."

Katia groaned and rolled her eyes as she sunk down in her chair. "It would not surprise me one bit."

Ashley snickered quietly but she pushed on her breaks. She pulled onto the shoulder when she flipped her right blinker. She pulled onto Pinewater Road.

"We're almost there?" whispered Katia. She sat up straight again and started to look around. She knew she was in a residential area but it was very spacious. She wouldn't have known that she was twenty minutes away from Rehoboth if nobody had told her otherwise.

"Yeah, just up here." The state trooper glanced at her friend and asked, "Ready for this?"

Katia took a deep breath but briskly nodded. "I can do this." She looked over at Ashley, desperation written in her eyes. "Just don't leave my side tonight."

Ashley chuckled deeply but smiled warmly too. "You'll be fine, you'll see." She noted that they now came onto Sloan Road so she slowed down considerably as they approached the twelfth address. She put her left blinker on then pulled into the stone driveway and all around them were tall pinewood trees.

Katia was looking all around and started to smile because she actually already liked this area. She watched as they drove around the circle in the driveway and in the centre of the circle was a large, thick maple tree.

Ashley pulled off to the side of the driveway where there was a sort of stone parking lot. She pulled up beside a large white Ford truck.

"Wow." Katia gaped at the gigantic truck. "Who's truck is that?"

Ashley slightly smirked and replied, "Mother's."

Katia blinked and looked at Ashley in surprise. "You're kidding."

"Nope." Ashley turned the car off. "That's for when she moves stuff around or bad weather." She slightly turned to the left in her seat and pointed at the garage. "Inside the garage she has a Cooper MINI."

Katia thought her jaw hit the floor this time but she managed to close her mouth. "I already like your mom."

Ashley laughed and opened her car door. "Come on."

Katia grabbed her purse off the floor then got out of the car quickly and again her body started to warm up from being nervous. She wiped the palms of her hands on her jeans in hopes it'd help but it really didn't. She walked to the trunk of the car and saw Ashley had it open.

Ashley already had her black duffel back out and strapped over her left shoulder. After Katia got her bright yellow bag out, she slammed the hood shut and started across the driveway.

Katia gazed about and she noted ahead of them was a brick patio, to the left the garage, straight ahead was the house that seemed fairly large.

Ashley went to the door that was tucked between the left side of the house and front of the house. She adjusted the strap on her shoulder then knocked on the door.

Katia quietly came up behind Ashley but slightly off to the right. She held tightly to the strap on her bag and she swore it must have been hours before the door was answered.

Ashley couldn't help her smile when her mother pushed open the door. "Hi, mother. How are you?"

Ashley's mother laughed and pushed the door open wider. She stepped out and immediately pulled her daughter into a hug. "It's so wonderful to see you." She pulled back from the strong hug and her hands rested on Ashley's shoulders. "You look beautiful as ever, dear." Her smiled grew more. "And I'm doing wonderful now that you're home."

Ashley chuckled and she took a side step and reached out. She grasped Katia's shoulder and gave her a gentle pull.

Katia understood the signal and stepped closer to the pair.

"Mother, this is Katia Danforth." Ashley was actually feeling nervous herself now. "Katia, this is my mom Katherine Carver."

Katia shyly smiled at Ashley's mother. "It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Carver."

Katherine's lips slowly shaped into a huge grin. "Where did you find her, dear?"

Ashley sighed and laughed. "Be nice, mother."

"Always," teased back Katherine. She stepped forward and folded her hands in front of her. "Please it's just Katherine… don't be so formal."

Katia started to blush and she just nodded her head.

Katherine felt a chuckle bubble up in her. "Welcome to my home." She took another step closer.

Katia was suddenly surprised to find herself in a warm hug from Katherine. She was wide eye at first but she chuckled and hugged the older woman back. She actually felt relieved at the end of the hug because she figured if Katherine hugged her that she must be already well liked.

"Come inside, you two… it's chilly." Katherine stepped into the house and held it open as the girls stepped inside next. She then quickly closed the old wood door so that no more of the heat escaped. "Ashley, why don't you and Katia take your stuff upstairs."

"Alright," agreed Ashley, "we'll be back down in a minute." She then signalled to Katia for her to follow.

Katherine stood there for a moment and just watched the pair closely as they went through the living room. She softly smiled as she reached up and brushed back a lock of her pepper grey hair behind her right ear. She turned to her right and went through the dining room then into the kitchen to continue with her dinner preparations.

Ashley went to the end of the hallway. In front of her was one door and to her left was another door. She opened the door to her left and pushed it open wider for Katia. "Guest room."

Katia grinned and peered around the corner into the room. "Oooh, I like it." She then looked up at Ashley. "Where's your room?"

Ashley pointed to the room right in front of her. "I'm here." She opened the door and stepped into the bedroom.

Katia took a step into the doorway and gazed about the room. "I like yours better." She tilted her head back and admired how the ceiling sloped down like a triangle. "It's almost like an attic."

"It was," replied Ashley. She went over to her bed on the left side and put her duffle bag next to the double bed. She then took her leather jacket off and tossed it on her bed. "Before we moved in but my parents changed it around for me." She turned around and came back towards her friend. "Your room was Thomas's room."

Katia backed out of the way for Ashley but she pointed at the door across from hers. "This one is Lucus's?"

"Yup and down there." Ashley pointed the end of the hall near the top of the steps but to the right. "That's the bathroom."

"Where's your mom's room?" Katia went into her bedroom and settled her bag onto the foot of her bed. She also took off her grey wool jacket and placed it on top of her bag.

"At the bottom of the steps, if you go right and go through the second living room you'll come into the master bedroom."

"Ah so there." Katia came back over and closed her bedroom door. "It's a fairly good size house."

"It is," agreed Ashley. "It seemed really big when I was younger." She softly smiled at Katia and placed her hand in the middle of Katia's back. "Come on… let's go visit."

Katia returned the warm smile and started down the hallway then the steps.

Ashley quietly followed behind and directed Katia to the left into the main living room, through there and into the dinning room then finally into the kitchen. When they entered the kitchen, Ashley picked up a very distinct smell of food and she glanced over at the oven on the opposite wall. She saw that it was on and she knew something very tasty was roasting for dinner.

"Everything suitable, dear?" inquired Katherine. She was busy at the counter near the sink.

"Yes of course, mother." The state trooper leaned towards Katia and whispered, "Sit down." She directed to the large wood table off to the right next to a set of windows.

Katia nodded and went over to the table. She pulled out a well varnished wood chair and quietly sat down.

"I haven't changed your room much despite how many tines I've been tempted," teased Katherine.

"You better not, mother." Ashley chuckled as she went to the cupboard just to the left of her mother.

"You are going to ask Katia if she wants anything?" probed Katherine.

Ashley sighed and in her best annoyed tone, she replied, "Yes, mother." She glanced over her shoulder at Katia and asked, "K, you want anything to drink?"

Katia chuckled then nodded her head.

"Alright…." Ashley placed two glasses on the counter near the fridge. She opened it and inspected what her mother had for beverages. "Let's see... milk, water, ice tea, Coke, and orange juice."

"Ice tea is fine, Ash."

Katherine paused in the middle of cutting up her carrots for the salad. She knew for a fact her daughter hated being called 'Ash' however this younger woman seemed to get away with it. It wasn't just that Katia was allowed to say it but it was also the fact that Katia said it in such an affectionate and warm manner. Katherine made a mental note of it then went back to cutting the carrots up. "You know, I don't know why I keep your room," she finally mentioned.

Ashley's eyes flickered to her mother then back to the ice tea she was pouring. "You changed Thomas's after he got married."

"Ashley," drew out Katherine, "I am not waiting until you marry." She flashed a smirk at her daughter. "That'll never happen." She paused and partially turned to her daughter, she waved her knife at her daughter. "What man would marry you and what woman would settle down with you?"

Ashley laughed as she opened the refrigerator and put the tea away. "Well mother, I guess I'll just always have that bedroom then." She gave her mother a smug look then picked up the two glasses.

Katherine huffed and returned to her salad preparations. "Impossible," she muttered.

"You love it," called Ashley. She came over to Katia and handed her a glass of tea. She then pulled out a chair at the opposite side of the table from Katia.

"So, Ashley…." Katherine put her knife down and turned around. "Does she talk at all?" Her grey-blue eyes rested on the college student.

Katia suddenly blushed deeply.

Ashley was drinking her tea and she grinned into her cup. She lowered the glass and peered over at her best friend. "She's a chatty Kathy once she goes."

"Do you have to pull a string or something?" joked the mother.

Ashley chuckled deeply. "Sometimes...." She studied Katia amusingly then added, "You do have to pull her string."

Katia groaned and tried to resist her blushing but it wasn't working. She was very nervous but she knew as soon as she opened her mouth that she wouldn’t be able to stay quiet for the rest of the evening. "I don't have a string," she muttered and mocked glared at her best friend.

"She spoke," teased Katherine. She turned to quickly wash her hands under the sink. She just patted her hands on her black pants and came over to the pair.

"I'm sorry," apologized Katia. She rolled her glass of tea between the palms of her hands. She peered up at Katherine as she approached them. She took in Katherine's figure and noted she was almost as tall as Ashley, maybe around five foot and ten inches and a trim figure. When Katherine pulled out the last chair and sat, Katia become eye level with her for the first time. Katia slightly held her breath as she took in Katherine's face and she was positive she was staring back at Ashley but forty years older.

Katherine's face was sculpted much like Ashley's with defined cheeks and smooth skin. Her eyes weren't quite as blue as Ashley's but more of a grey-blue that must have dulled over time. Katherine's hair was an extremely dark brown speckled with shades of grey and white that mixed well together. Katia decided that Katherine was a very radiant woman and her age only complimented her through the years.

"There's nothing to be sorry about," assured Katherine.

Ashley sat back in her chair and fell silent so she could let her mother get to know Katia. She knew she'd enjoy watching her mother warm up to Katia and then see how her mother responded back to Katia. She knew it would be intriguing.

"Ashley said you go to Salisbury University," commented Katherine.

Katia dipped her head a little. "Yes, I'll be a sophomore this next semester."

"Next semester?" asked Katherine, slightly perplexed. "You started mid-year last year?"

"Yes," confirmed Katia, "I deferred for one semester so I could work."

"Oh, I see." Katherine smiled and sat back in her chair. She crossed on leg over the other. "Do you have a major?"

"Not yet." Katia let out a steady sigh as she placed her ice tea on the table. "I'm thinking about something in computers and maybe art."

"Computer art?" suggested Katherine.

"I think so," quietly agreed Katia, "but I'm thinking about marketing."

"Yes, I heard Salisbury has an excellent Business department."

"They do actually," agreed Katia in a lighter voice. She was starting to settle down more. "It's funded by the Perdue chicken company."

"That's right." Katherine nodded her head a few times. "I believe they also have a huge physical eduction program."

Slowly Katia nodded her head. "Yes, there's a lot of various degrees in outdoor eduction. It's one of the best in the tri-state area."

"They have a big outdoor program, don't they?" spoke up Ashley.

Katia glanced over at her best friend. "Yeah there's a big outdoor club that meets. Plus they have a sailing team, I believe a rowing team too."

"It sounds like a good university," agreed the mother.

"It's pretty good," agreed Katia. "I really like the size… not big or small." She paused and said, "I was almost pushed into going to Washington College."

"That's in Chestertown?" After Katia nodded, Katherine considered that and said, "That's an excellent college… fairly small and liberal arts."

"Yes, they have a huge English department. One of the best colleges to go to if you want to be a journalist or writer." Katia slightly shrugged. "It was just too close to home for me. I'm from Chestertown."

"Ashley mentioned that," commented Katherine.

A grin started on Katia's face and she looked at Ashley. "I heard she mentioned some things."

Katherine chuckled and patted Katia's closest knee. "Not to worry, honey… it was all good things."

"Of course," teased Katia, "because I am an angel."

"Yeah right," chided Ashley.

Katherine quickly looked at her daughter. "Probably more of an angel compared to you, Ashley Carver."

Katia snickered.

Ashley narrowed her eyes at her mother. "That's Sergeant Ashley Carver to you, mother."

Katia smirked and quickly cut into the joke. "First Sergeant," she corrected.

Ashley shot a dangerous look at her best friend.

"Well, First Sergeant Carver," started Katherine as she stood up. "I think your mother knows how much trouble you get into." She pushed her chair back under the table. "Especially with the ones you date." She smirked at Ashley's offended look but she said nothing else and walked back to the sink counter.

"That was not my fault," countered Ashley, "I didn't know Laurel was insane."

"Next time test her, Sergeant Carver," taunted Katherine. She had her back to the pair but she was grinning to herself. "Do some detective work, sergeant… I'm sure you're capable of that."

"Mother," hotly growled Ashley but she was inwardly laughing.

Katherine shook her head a few times and turned to the fridge to pull out more vegetables. When she straightened up with a cucumber in her hand, she said, "If you're going to date a female why don't you date somebody nice, Ashley." Her eyes then flickered of to Katia. "Like Katia." She quickly turned to the counter not waiting for either of the girls' reactions.

Ashley had groaned and sunk down in her seat.

Katia however felt a jolt through her body and she quickly grabbed her ice tea to take a drink.

"I don't think I'm Katia's type," joked Ashley finally after she recovered from her initial shock.

Katherine slightly turned but she continued to clean off the skin on the cucumber. "Are you dating, Katia?"

Katia had just carefully put her glass on the table. She felt a little surprised by the upfront question but it didn't bother her either. "Yes, actually… I'm dating a guy, Bobby, from one of my classes."

"Really?" quipped the mother. She turned back to cleaning her cucumber. "Ashley didn't mention that at all."

Katia chuckled and glanced at her grumbling friend then back at Katherine's back. "Well, Ashley doesn't much like him so she pretends he doesn't exist in my life."

"I do not," protest the state trooper.

Katia laughed now and shot a grin at Ashley. "Yeah right, Ash. Every chance you get, you tell me to break up with him."

Katherine was shaking her head, keeping silent, and enjoyed the bantering between the two women.

"Wait!" Ashley turned in her chair some so she could better face the younger woman. "Who was the one that told you to revaluate your relationship? Maybe spend more time with him instead of me."

"Erin," joked Katia, her eyes sparkled with mischief.

Ashley couldn't believe this and it wasn't the conversation but how badly Katia was teasing her. "I don't think so," she lightly growled and gave a fake glare. "See if I offer anymore of my advice freely, K."

"Oooh does that mean I'll have to pay for it?" taunted Katia. Her eyes glinted brightly and her lips were curled into a wild grin. "I'll pay anything for your… advice, Ash."

Ashley stared at her friend and she knew her mouth was going dry from the fact her jaw was hanging down. She knew Katia could be playful but this extreme and in front of her mother no less.

"Watch out, Katia," started Katherine, "Ashley has high prices."

Katia suddenly laughed.

Katherine was snickering and she stole a quick glance at her dumbfounded daughter. She smirked and pushed her diced cucumber bits next to her pile of carrot strips. She went over to the refrigerator and pulled out a glass bowl of freshly cleaned lettuce.

"I'll get you, K," whispered Ashley low enough so that only Katia could hear her.

Katia actually blushed but she just winked back as if to welcoming the challenge. She took her glass, finished the last of her tea, and stood up. "It's okay if I use that bathroom upstairs?"

"Of course," answered Ashley.

"Thanks." Katia offered a smile then went over to the kitchen counter.

"Here, honey." Katherine took the glass from the young woman and put it in the sink next to her.

"Thank you." Katia then quietly left the room and went upstairs to the bathroom.

"She's something else, Ashley." Katherine had finished spreading the carrots and cucumbers over the lettuce and was headed back to the fridge.

"She certainly is," quietly agreed Ashley but her tone was distant.

Katherine studied her daughter for a moment then went to the salad bowl. She opened a plastic cartoon of cherry tomatoes and dropped them around the salad. "I was wondering, are you and Katia going to her parents'?"

Ashley sat back in her chair and sighed. She considered her mother's question. "I haven't thought about it… I'm not sure how Katia would take to it."

Katherine was caught in mid stride to the refrigerator. "Does she have family problems?" She put the finished salad back in to keep it cool until dinner.

"I'm not completely sure, mother but I think so." Ashley stretched her legs out a little then crossed her ankles. "I'm actually kinda worried about it… about her."

Katherine sighed and closed the door of the fridge. She kept her hand on the handle but her attention was completely on her daughter. "She should really see her family during the break."

"I agree."

Katherine now folded her arms over her chest. "Maybe suggest it to her." She tilted her head to the side some. "It'd also be a good opportunity for you to find out what's going on." She took a step back and leaned back against the counter. "You'd be surprise how much you'll learn about Katia by meeting her family… especially her parents."

The state trooper curiously thought about it and she had to agree with her mother. "You're right, mother." She lifted her eyes from staring at the wood planked floor. "Like always."

Katherine faintly smiled at her daughter but she slowly lost it. "I really like her, Ashley but even I can tell she's got a lot of problems." Her thoughts went around Katia but then she focused on her daughter again. "She's incredibly tense and shy… it doesn't seem natural for her."

"You have that feeling too?" asked Ashley, surprise flickered over her face. "I thought that too when I got to know her at first." She shook her head and dropped her head some to stare at the floor. "It's like she's been… trained to be reserved and quiet."

"It's not natural, Ashley… not for this girl." Katherine was frowning and her heart ached for the young college student. "There's so much life in her and it's hidden in her."

"Or beaten down," whispered Ashley, her voice coated with anger.

Katherine felt a chill ripple up her back when her daughter's cold eyes lifted up to her. If it was one thing she learned quickly about her child, it was the fact that Ashley protected her loved ones in her life with any means. "Let's hope that's not the case," she finally whispered. She broke away from her gaze when she heard Katia coming through living room.

Ashley leaned back into her chair and tried to relax again. She didn't want the conversation to spoil her mood especially when Katia was starting to enjoy herself. "Thought you got flushed down."

Katia rolled her eyes at her friend. "I was just having a conversation with the cactus in the bathroom."

Katherine laughed at the young woman.

"You had a conversation with George?" teased Ashley.

Katia gave a perplexed look at Ashley. "George? You named the cactus?" She laughed and shook her head.

Ashley was chuckling but she finally replied, "Yes, that's his name." She then smirked and tilted her head a little. "How was he anyway? I need to visit him."

"He said he misses you, Ash," teased Katia. "You better visit with him."

"Oh I'll be sure to do that," joked Ashley and she couldn't control her smile.

Katia chuckled deeply but she walked over and sat back down.

Katherine had thoroughly enjoyed watching the exchange. She hadn't seen her daughter glow so much in a very long time. It thrilled Katherine to see her daughter so happy. "Well, as soon as your bother shows I can start cooking."

"What are we having?" inquired the state trooper.

Slowly Katherine grinned and replied, "Nothing but Maryland's best."

"Ooooh." Katia's face sparked with interest. "What is that?" She rubbed her tummy for emphasis.

"Watch out, mother this woman loves to eat and lots of it," joked Ashley.

Katherine softly grinned. "I appreciate fans for my food." She took a deep breath then answered Ashley's question. "We're having roast duck, wild rice with gravy, and mash potatoes."

Katia's mouth instantly watered and her stomach gurgled at the dinner menu.

"Where'd you get the duck?" inquired Ashley.

"Actually one of the regulars, at the restaurant, gave it to me." Katherine's dark eyebrows knitted together some. "You remember Jerry Hopkins?"

"Oh yes," replied Ashley, "I went to middle school with his son."

"That's right," recalled the mother. "Well he brought it in to me."

"Did he shoot it?"

Katherine's eyes flickered over to Katia. "Yes, honey. Mr. Hopkins owns a large farm with a pond not too far from here. It's been duck season for awhile now."

Katia nodded at that but then a thought occurred to her; a confused look on her face. "Restaurant?" She looked between Ashley and her mother.

Katherine was a little confused too now.

Ashley though quickly understood what her best friend was asking. "Mother runs a restaurant not far from here. It's a bit of a yocal local place too."

"Really?" Katia quickly looked at Katherine for confirmation.

Katherine laughed at the young woman's enthusiasm. "Yes, it's just a small place but it does well with the locals. I've had it for about five years now."

"Wow," whispered Katia, "it must be fun."

"It is most of the time," agreed Katherine. She was about to say more but the sound of a car pulling into the driveway caught her attention.

Ashley straightened up. "Is that Lucus?"

Katherine had turned around and peered out the window over her sink. She could make out a red car in the flood light's outside."Yes, that's his red WRX." She slightly shook her head and looked back at her daughter. "I'll never understand why your father bought him that race car."

Ashley laughed as she stood up. "It's because he wanted it and whatever Lucus wants Dad gets him." She carried her glass over to the sink and put it in there.

Katia had intently listened because it was the first time she'd ever heard word of Ashley's father.

"That thing is dangerous," complained the worried mother.

"Not really… they put a governor on the engine so it can't go as fast." The trooper shrugged then added, "It's actually safe with that all-wheel drive." She snickered when her mother shot her a dangerous look.

"Go great your brother," ordered Katherine.

Katia quietly chuckled at her friend and her mother.

"Come on, K." Ashley motioned for Katia to follow and together they went to the front door. Ashley swung open the door and stepped out onto the brick patio.

Katia closed the door behind and crossed her arms over her chest to stay warm. She gazed over at the red Subaru WRX and curiously studied the young man with shoulder length curly blond hair. Ashley continued to walk to the car so Katia quickly followed.

Lucus climbed out of his car and smiled happily at seeing his sister. "Ashley." He was swept into a furiously strong hug. "It's so good to see you, sis."

Ashley squeezed him even harder, "You too, baby brother." She then stepped back and marvelled out how well he looked. "You look good."

"You look pretty good yourself, sis." Lucus chuckled and his smiled didn't falter however his eyes drifted behind Ashley.

The state trooper grinned and partially turned. She corked an eyebrow at her best friend.

Katia understood the signal so she approached the siblings closer.

"Lucus, this is my best friend Katia Danforth."

"Hey, Katia." Lucus gave one of his best smiles and held out his hand.

"Katia, this is Lucus Carver."

Lucus was in the middle of shaking hands but he attempted to give his sister a warning look.

Ashley sighed and said, "The third."

Lucus triumphantly smiled as he let go of Katia's small hand.

"The third?" probed Katia.

"Yes." Ashley had an amused smile. "Lucus Carver the third… our father is the second-"

"And grandfather the first," cut in Lucus.

Katia just grinned at the two siblings.

"Where are you from, Katia?" asked the curious young man.

"Chestertown… further north."

"Oh right." Lucus slipped his hands into his khaki pants. "I've been there a few times."

Katia nodded then said, "I go to SU."

"Really?" Lucus expression brightened. "I go to UMD… College Park."

"Yeah, I heard you're majoring in criminology."

Lucus quickly looked at his sister. "What else did you tell her, Ashley?" He narrowed his eyes and teased, "You tell her I'm still single and looking?"

Ashley just rolled her eyes, roughly hit her brother on the back, and went to the back of the WRX.

Katia had an amused smile. "Trust me, she's already tried to hook me up with you."

Lucus's eyes widened and he looked over at his sister. "Way to go, sis. I didn't think you had it in you to give up good lookin' women."

Katia quietly groaned and her face flushed over.

"She's already dating, Lucus," taunted Ashley. She was busying pulling a back out of the trunk of her brother's car.

"Damn." Lucus looked at Katia and winked.

"That's what I said too," joked the state trooper. She then laughed with her brother but she settled down when she saw how thoroughly embarrassed Katia was now. She stepped up to her best friend and softly smiled at her in hopes it'd help.

Lucus had shifted away and was getting his other bag from his car.

Ashley reached up with her free hand and brushed back some of Katia's blond hair but her touch lingered.

Katia closed her eyes and leaned into the touch without realizing it. The spell was suddenly broken though when Lucus slammed the trunk hood. She felt Ashley's touch disappear and she opened her eyes.

"Come on, it's getting cold." Ashley gave one last warm smile to Katia.

Katia nodded and turned to lead the way back to the house.

Lucus strolled along side Ashley but his attention was completely on Katia. A thought occurred to him and he looked up at his sister and realized she was clearly staring at Katia. He almost laughed but held it back so instead he jabbed Ashley in the side. "You're drooling," he whispered and smirked.

Ashley just rolled her eyes and tried not to be embarrassed despite she was and Lucus knew it.

Katia opened the door to the house and stepped out of the way. She then closed it after Ashley and Lucus went through.

"Lucus," greeted Katherine. She came over and gave her son a hug.

Lucus dropped his bag to the floor and pulled his mother in tightly.

Ashley picked up her brother's other bag and quietly made her way upstairs.

"How's my baby?" Katherine smiled at her youngest when she pulled back but still in his arms.

"Wonderful, mom." Lucus leaned in and kissed his mother's cheek. "How have you been?"

"Excellent… can't complain." Katherine finally broke the embrace and she looked at Katia. "I assume you met Katia."

"Yes." Lucus shifted and smiled at Katia. "We met."

Katia tried very hard not to blush and she was sure it was working this time.

"Your stuff is upstairs," quietly announced Ashley when she reappeared beside the group.

"Thank you, sis." Lucus offered a smile as he brushed back a few locks of his hair.

"Why don't you three visit," suggested Katherine, "while I fix dinner." She glanced between all of them. "It'll be about half an hour."

"Sounds good," quickly agreed Lucus.

Katia looked at the mother. "Do you need help?"

"Oh no, I'll be fine, honey." Katherine smiled at the offered and was surprised by it.

Ashley grasped Katia's shoulders and quietly said, "Let mother work her magic."

Katia laughed quietly and nodded her head.

"Go and sit," instructed Katherine and she disappeared towards the kitchen.

Lucus smiled at his sister then went over to the sofa-chair on the other side of the room.

Ashley nudged her friend to go ahead.

Katia went over and sat in the centre of the long, floral sofa.

Ashley sat to the right of Katia and closest to her brother. When she settled down, she looked at Lucus and asked, "How's college?"

"Kicking my ass," replied Lucus. He shifted a little and adjusted his black jacket a little then decided he was uncomfortable. He leaned forward to take it off. "How's work been?"

"I got a promotion," answered Ashley.

"Really?" Lucus had his coat off and tossed it to the empty sofa-chair to his right. "What are you now?" He evilly smirked. "A cadet?"

Ashley grunted and rolled her eyes. She then looked over at Katia, grinned, and said, "K?"

Katia took the subtle hint and looked at Lucus with a smirk. "First Sergeant Ashley Carver."

Ashley turned her head back to her brother, a smug expression on her face. "She says it so well."

Lucus suddenly laughed in response. He smiled when he settled back down. "Mother said you moved too."

"Yes, I'm just outside of Salisbury."

Lucus raised an eyebrow at his sister. "Rrreally?" he drew out and his attention shifted to Katia with interest. "Salisbury, sis?"

Ashley knew Katia was blushing and embarrassed for the hundredth time today. She quickly protected her best friend by grabbing the pillow behind her back and she swatted her brother with it. "Be nice, Lucus."

Lucus reorganized his messy hair from the pillow hit. "I am," he protested.

The state trooper readjusted the pillow behind her back. "Sure." She lost her grin and asked, "Seriously, how is college?"

"Like I said, kicking my ass." Lucus slumped in his chair some and looked at Katia. "What year are you?"

"I'll be a sophomore next semester."

"Really?" Lucus had an expression mixed between surprise and confusion. "Why mid-year?"

Katia let out a deep breath. "I had to work to cover my expenses."

Lucus nodded his head a few times. "Scholarship?"

"Yes but it doesn't cover everything, yah know." Katia grinned at him. "Like my cell phone bill, car payments and so on."

Lucus chuckled and nodded his agreement. "That is true."

"You had car payments on your Benz?" Ashley intently looked at her best friend.

"To my father," clarified Katia, "and don't ask… long story."

Ashley lifted an eyebrow but didn't further press the subject.

Lucus then caught the small exchange but didn't respond to it instead he drew his sister's attention back. "How is that chic you've been dating?"

"Laurel," supplied Katia but her tone was anything but pleasant.

"Yikes." Lucus looked from Katia back to his sister. "Something happen?"

Ashley ran her tongue along the back of her teeth. "You could say that."

Lucus smirked and leaned closer to his sister. "Tell me… I hated that woman."

Katia laughed then smiled at the fact somebody else hated Laurel just as much.

Ashley though had let out a deep, dramatic breath but prepared to give a very long story. She knew if she didn't her brother would bug her to no end. So for the next twenty minutes or so, Ashley told her story and Katia helped with supplying more details to make it juicer for Lucus.

It wasn't long afterwards that they were called into the dining room for dinner. The small family gathered around the dining table and passed food around as they chatted away about odds and ends. Katia was starting to settle in and for once she was quite content and genuinely happy because she felt she could fit in and be accepted. For the first time, she had a true sense of family and it was with the Carvers.

**To be continued.**


	18. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

Ashley slowly made her way down the dock, her boots quietly booming against the wood boards. Beside her, she could hear her best friend also quietly strolling along. She felt a warm smile tug at her lips from feeling so content. She came to the end of the dock and shifted to her right. Gradually, she leaned to her right until her shoulder pressed against the pilling and most of her weight went against it. Her gaze hovered over the reflection of the almost full moon in the calm water.

Katia stared at the moon's reflection too but then she dropped her head back and smiled up at the silver moon. She silently wrapped her arms around her body to stay warmer against the fall night. She turned her head to Ashley and her smile only deepened. She shifted closer to Ashley and slipped her right arm between Ashley's arm and side.

Ashley now looked away from the moon and smiled directly at Katia. "How do you feel?" she whispered.

Katia honestly considered the question as she studied the bay again. After a several moments of thought, she gazed at her friend again. "Better." She stared into Ashley's eyes and she quickly realized how beautiful Ashley's eyes were as moon shined off them. Ashley's eyes were a silvery indigo and a heat flash rippled through Katia's stomach.

"I'm glad," whispered Ashley and when she smiled again, her teeth flashed briefly. She looked away again.

Katia happily sighed then moved even closer to Ashley. She gently lowered her head onto the side of Ashley's arm and kept staring at the bay. "Your mom's dinner was amazing."

"It was," agreed the older woman.

The traditional Maryland dinner had gone over quite well with the small family. Katia had managed to get seconds in and still saved room for the pumpkin pie that Katherine had kept for a surprise. Ashley never thought she'd seen her best friend eat that much and she wondered exactly where it all went. As the dinner progressed, Ashley had noted Katia coming more and more out of her shell. Katia talked more, her smile more natural, and she even started using her hands to talk. It was something Ashley had only seen on rare occasions when Katia was happy and relaxed around her surroundings. Another habit of Katia's, Ashley had grown to enjoy, was her humming especially during meals. If it was a dinner that not only filled Katia's stomach but touched her heart, she tended to hum a happy tune. Katherine's dinner had been one of the few and rare meals that achieved humming status.

After dinner, the family sat around in the living room for awhile longer to continue their conversations. It wasn't until ten o'clock that Katherine decided to deal with the dishes. Lucus had hopped out of his seat and joined his mother in the kitchen to help. That left Katia and Ashley alone and Ashley suggested a walk outside around the yard. Katia readily agreed especially when she saw it was almost a full moon out and it was floating just over the bay. They'd made their way down the short dock that jetted out over the water.

"Does your mom have a boat?"

Katia's question brought Ashley out of her musing and she peered down at Katia before she looked out at the scenery. "Yes," she quietly replied, "just a small boat."

"What kind?"

The state trooper considered for a moment then replied, "A Boston Whaler."

Katia took a deep breath as a faint grin pulled at her lips. "How many feet?"

Ashley was remotely surprised by the curiosity but she did answer the question. "Twenty-one foot."

"A hundred twenty-five horsepower Johnson?"

Ashley's lips slightly puckered but she nodded. "I think so… salt water too."

Katia chuckled some and her grin spread out over her lips. "It's an Outrage." She paused but then added, "They're a pretty nice boat and if I remember right… they're about twenty thousand dollars." She lifted her head and smirked up at her friend. "You know if you cut a Boston Whaler in half it still won't sink."

Ashley opened her mouth but she didn't know what to say.

Katia was happily satisfied by her friend's astonishment. She reached up with her left hand and patted Ashley's arm before she grasped Ashley's arm. "My father owns a marina in Chestertown."

Ashley had closed her mouth however she still wasn't sure how to comment.

Katia lowered her head back down on Ashley's arm. "My father is like hundredth generation." A slight chuckle flow from her lips but it was lost on a more serious thought. "Technically I'm suppose to be next."

"Technically?" inquired the older woman.

"Yeah." Katia exhaled deeply and her eyes drifted shut. "But I'm not interested in the business."

"Why is that?" prompted Ashley.

Katia shrugged and after a long silence, she finally said, "Boating just isn't… me." She chewed on the inside of her mouth as she mulled over what she said. "I think I'm more into computers."

"It is good money," slowly agreed the trooper.

"It is but…."

Ashley glanced at her friend then looked away. "But?"

"I don’t know… I just don't like the idea of sitting in front of a computer screen all day." Katia let out a heavy breath. "I mean that's what programmer analysis do all the time." She started rubbing her left hand up and down Ashley's leather covered arm. She enjoyed the smooth leather of the black jacket. "I prefer to deal with people more so but I still like the idea of being on my own… or just getting out of the office."

"Not into the cubical idea?" gently teased the older woman.

Katia quietly chuckled and stopped her hand rubbing, she just held tightly to Ashley's arm. "Not really." A frown crinkled the corner of Katia's left lip. "I'm not sure what I want to do because I do like art too."

"Give it time," assured Ashley. She lifted her left hand and captured Katia's hand. She felt a little nervous as she laced their hands together but was relieved when Katia returned the gesture. "You still have another year before you have to declare a major."

"I know." Katia lifted her head and peered up at Ashley. "Have you looked into Chesapeake?"

Ashley didn't answer right away but she slowly nodded her head. "I looked at their website to get an idea."

"And?" prompted Katia.

"I'm not sure yet," replied Ashley.

Katia faintly frowned at the answer, not really expecting it.

Ashley wasn't sure why she felt guilty but she knew she dislike upsetting her friend. "It's still a little early, Katia." She paused then quietly added, "I want to wait until they put out a summer semester schedule."

Katia nodded and felt reassured because she knew it was a hard decision for Ashley. "I understand."

Ashley felt her guilt recede and she gently squeezed Katia's hand.

"Ash?"

"Hmmm?" Ashley didn't bother to look at her friend.

Katia didn't ask her question because she was a little fearful what the answer might be but when Ashley started to rub her thumb over her hand, she felt calmer. "Do you think you'll be sent out to the Middle East?"

Ashley blinked as a shot of surprise flashed through her. She hadn't really expected that question much less Katia being that worried about it. "No." She turned her body around to face Katia. "I'm not going over there, Katia."

Katia's face was clearly pressed tightly together with raw emotions. "How can you be sure?" She grabbed at the pocket of Ashley's leather jacket and tightly held. "If you go over there you could-"

"I'm not going over there," cut off Ashley with a more than sure tone. She held Katia's gaze and she wasn't about to let Katia finish her earlier sentence. "I'm not… I can promise that."

"How?" whispered Katia, her voice faintly shook.

"I'm needed here, Katia not over there." Ashley studied her friend and saw she still held some fears. "I can't go into greater detail, Katia but I am apart of the homeland security." She brought her freehand up and brushed back a long strand of Katia's hair behind her ear. "You have nothing to worry about." She paused and dipped her head down closer to Katia's. "Okay?"

Katia slowly nodded her head and took a step closer.

Ashley gently smiled as Katia's arms wrapped around her and she hugged Katia back. When they separated, she asked, "You ready to go inside?"

"Yeah." Katia tugged Ashley's arm that still had their hands locked together. "Come on, I'm cold."

Ashley couldn't agree more so she followed along side but she had to admit she wasn't quite that cold. At any point she shared physical contact with Katia, she was anything but cold and right now happened to be one of those points.

When they approached the screen door to the covered porch, Ashley broke their linked hands and opened the door. She held it open as Katia went in first then she followed. They walked to the other end of the porch and went through the glass door to enter the secondary living room. Katia led the way to the stairwells and quickly bounded up them. Ashley was quick to follow and was right on Katia's heels.

Katia was about to go into her room but Ashley's hand on her shoulder made her hesitate.

"Come inside with me," urged the trooper. "I want to ask you something."

Katia's stomach slightly pitched but she nodded and went into Ashley's bedroom.

"Come here." Ashley directed her friend to the bed and she sat with Katia. She took a moment and unbuttoned her jacket. "I was thinking it might be a good idea if we went up to your parents' place for a day or two." She saw how Katia automatically stiffened at the suggestion and she almost regretted her idea. "I just figured they'd probably like to see you since it is the holidays, K." Ashley shrugged before continuing with, "It was just a thought and it's really up to you."

Katia forced herself to relax and she solemnly nodded. "I'll think about it."

"Thank you." Ashley then stood up and started pulling off her leather jacket. "I think I'm going to go visit George."

Katia quickly grinned at her friend. "I'm sure he'd like that."

The state trooper laughed and threw her jacket at Katia. "Be back."

Katia glowered after she got the jacket off her head. "Thanks," she deadpanned.

Ashley simply winked then walked out of her room.

Katia just shook her head and grinned. She peered down at the jacket in her lap as it warmed against her. She slid out of the bed and carried the jacket over to the desk and chair on the other side of the room. She carefully hung the jacket on the back of the chair but as she peered up, something on the overhead shelves caught her eye.

Katia reached up and her fingertips glided across the bindings of four books. Her eyes slowly slitted as she read over the titles on the sides of the bindings. Then her hand travelled over to the right along the shelf and she traced out a golden emblem on the face of a white mug. "Oh… my god," she whispered in awe.

Katia's turquoise eyes widened when she suddenly realized what emblem was embossed on the mug. She read over the green lettering below the emblem. "Ashlinn K. Carver." She was wrapping her fingers around the handle of the mug then suddenly the door opened and caught Katia in mid-action.

Ashley closed the door and looked over at her best friend. She raised an eyebrow at Katia who faced her, a slight blush on her face.

Katia stole a quick look at the four books, mug, and other white mugs behind the main one. "I was just looking at your stuff."

The state trooper faintly nodded and approached her friend. "Those are my yearbooks from high school."

"Awards too," added Katia.

Ashley furrowed her eyebrows and not because Katia said it but because she knew without really looking at the mugs. "How…."

Katia slightly grinned and tilted her head to one side. "You know, I never put two and two together."

Ashley opened her mouth but she didn't say anything, instead she just had a confused look.

Katia looked at the four yearbooks again but she turned her head sidelong to Ashley. "You were a legend on my soccer team." A faint grin twitched at the corner of her lips. "The girls talked about how you could kick a soccer ball from one end to the other." She chuckled as she now stared at the white mugs behind the main one. "I didn't believe it."

Ashley was at Katia's side and she smirked. "I can show you."

Katia tilted her head back and peered up into crystal blue eyes. "Believing is seeing," she whispered.

Ashley's smirk shifted into a warm smile. She lifted her gaze to the sports award mugs she'd earned over the years at her high school. "When did you graduate?"

"I was the class of 2001."

"Class of 1995," whispered Ashley.

Katia shook her head and she grinned. "You graduated two years before I started my freshman year."

Ashley did the mental calculations and knew Katia started in 1997 and would have been fourteen years old. "You were pretty young," she commented.

Katia chuckled and looked at Ashley. "Come on, Ash. I was fourteen and you were… what?" Her eyes glossed over as she did the math. "Twelve when you started ninth grade."

"Yes," confirmed the older woman. "I was the youngest on campus." She slightly grinned. "Other than the faculty kids."

Katia's lips were tweaked with a smile and as she looked at the yearbooks, she became awed again. "I can't believe we went to the same high school."

"I know," quietly whispered the amazed trooper. "If I wasn't ahead I would have been a Senior when you were a Freshman."

Katia slightly shook her head. "We would have met sooner."

"Much sooner," quietly agreed the state trooper. She fell silent as she tried to absorb the fact that her and Katia had gone to the same high school.

"God," whispered Katia, "I miss Oldfields too."

"Me too." Ashley chuckled and shook her head. "I have a lot of good memories there."

Katia started to quietly laugh too. "So do I." She grinned at her best friend. "What's one of your best ones?"

"Senior year," evilly whispered Ashley, her eyes wildly sparkled. "There was this eighth grader that use to come into the Senior dorm all the time. Her name was… Vicki."

"What happened?" curiously asked Katia.

Ashley folded her arms over her chest. "Well I was one of those Seniors that was high on themselves."

Katia giggled and tried to imagine her friend as a six foot tall sixteen year old Senior. "You had 'Senior High' bad huh?"

"Oooh yeah." Ashley smirked and finished her story. "And Vicki decided to come into the dorm one day. I was in the hallway and caught her."

"I can't believe she'd go in the Senior dorm, I mean that's suicidal especially being an eighth grader."

Ashley snickered and nodded her agreement. "It was and I taught her that lesson." She noted Katia's raised eyebrow so she continued. "I'd snatched her out of the hallway, dragged her down to the bathroom."

Katia's eyes widened and she put her right hand over her mouth.

"I yelled to my roommate, Heather, to bring her handcuffs to the bathroom so she did. Together we handcuffed Vicki to that railing in the shower."

Katia started to laugh but she tried to contain herself.

"Heather and I ran down to the dorm kitchen and were so happy to find a cartoon of eggs and some leftover maple syrup from the winter."

"Oh no, you didn't?" whispered Katia, her laughter bubbling up into her chest.

"Oh we did," replied Ashley. She snickered and added, "We covered her in eggs and syrup then shoved her in the shower. After that, Heather and I got the hell out of there for the rest of the day."

Katia couldn't hold her laughter back as her laughter escaped her and made it hard to breathe.

"She probably had syrup in places she's never touched," evilly joked Ashley.

Katia just doubled over with laughter between the story and mental images. She regained some of her composure and straightened back up. "You probably… probably scarred her for life."

"I know." Ashley's tone was so low and devilish.

"Wait, wait…" Katia furrowed her eyebrows. "What was her last name? Vicki Hunt?"

Ashley tried to recall the little eighth grader's name.

"Short, purge kind… long bottle blond hair?" Katia tilted her head.

"Yesss." Ashley's expression brightened. "It was Vicki Hunt."

"Oh my god," whispered Katia and she laughed again. "She was a Sophomore when I started. She was tough as anything… hung out with the blacks."

"Really?" Ashley considered that. "She wasn't with them when I left."

"No, she hung out with the underclassmen blacks… not the upper." Katia's lips puckered some. "She was actually pretty cool especially when I hung out with the black cliché."

"You were close with her?" asked the surprised trooper.

Katia laughed and shook her head. "Not close but we talked some." She chuckled a little more. "I can't believe you did that."

"I know… it was fun though."

"Did you and Heather get in trouble for it?" questioned Katia.

Ashley shook her head. "We told Vicki if she told anybody we'd haze her more on Senior Hell night."

Katia had an amused expression. "I admit I had Senior High too but… not like that." She grinned but looked up at the yearbooks again. "Can I look at your Senior yearbook?"

"Yeah sure." Ashley reached over and pulled the fourth book out and handed it to Katia. "Sit on the bed," she further offered. She walked over to the bed with Katia and removed her duffle bag to make more room.

Katia hopped up onto Ashley's bed and put the yearbook on her lap. She opened the hardback and started on the first page.

Ashley came over and sat down beside her best friend, she peered over at the book. "It's been awhile since I looked through my books."

"Me too," confessed Katia. She slowly turned the page and read the opening for the theme of the yearbook for 1995. "Have you been back to Oldfields since you graduated?"

"No," sadly replied Ashley. "You?"

Katia simply shook her head as a heavy sigh escaped her. "I wouldn't mind going back," she mentioned as she continued going through the yearbook. "Isn't Alumni weekend in April?"

"Yes," replied Ashley. Then a thought occurred to her and she sucked in a short breath. "My ten year reunion will be in 2005."

Katia paused and peered up at her friend. "You're right, it will be." She grinned at her friend's surprised look. "Do you remember what you wrote in your ten year letter to yourself?"

The trooper groaned and leaned back with her hands behind her. She came to a stop midway when her hands hit the bed behind her. "I can't remember really. I was in a bad mood the night we had our 100 nights dinner."

"I don't remember mine either." Katia's voice was a little distant but only because she was looking over the yearbook. She realized she was coming into the Senior pages of the yearbook where each Senior had their own page dedicated to them. She was in the B's and there were only a few Seniors with the last name starting with a B. She then came to a quick stop when she came to Ashley's Senior page on the right page. "Oh my god, Ash," she breathed and her pulse quickened.

"Yeah, ugly picture huh?" teased the older woman.

Katia's jaw dropped as she stared at the photo in the centre of Ashley's senior page. It was a professionally done photo of Ashley when she was younger, probably sixteen but she looked much older. Ashley had her chin down resting on her linked hands and part of her jet black hair was pulled back and twirled into a bun. Ashley's red wine lips were shaped into an elegant smile but what took Katia's breath away was how Ashley's vivid sky blue eyes seemed to glow.

Katia finally managed to take in some air. She then whispered, "That's an amazing photo."

Ashley didn't say anything but she warmed at the compliment. She carefully watched Katia's profile as her friend carefully looked over her Senior page.

"Ash?" whispered Katia.

"Hmmm?"

Katia lifted her head some and looked back at her friend. "Your real name is Ashlinn?" She noted the faint grin that now touched the older woman's lips.

"Yes," replied Ashley. "Ashlinn Katherine Carver is my full name."

Katia was smiling but she slowly lost it. "Why do you go by Ashley then? I mean, Ashlinn is so much more beautiful than just… Ashley." She then frowned a little. "I like Ashley but it's just…."

"Common," finished Ashley.

"Exactly," agreed Katia. "I've always liked the name Ashley." She grinned. "Before I met you."

Ashley slightly chuckled but her expression went serious. "A lot of my friends started to call me Ashley." She shrugged her shoulders. "I just went with it and so did my family." She peered down at her Senior page and studied her proper name that titled her Senior page. "Ashley is just a nickname."

Katia faintly shook her head and looked back down at the Senior page. She studied the rest of Ashley's page and realized most of it was photos of Ashley's family and closest friends from Oldfields. Underneath each photo was a particular quote that held deeper meaning. After carefully studying Ashley's Senior page, Katia went through the rest of the yearbook and the two friends shared memories.

Here and there Katia would recall some of the Freshmen from Ashley's Senior year and they each had a story or two about that particular girl. Both Ashley and Katia had brought up a lot of old memories that neither had thought of in years. And they were such memories that very few people could understand considering how unusual an all girls boarding school was along with all its adventures. The new knowledge that they'd both graduated from the same school seemed to strength their already growing bond.

Katia gradually closed the Senior yearbook and rested it on her lap. She looked at her best friend, whom was lying on her back on the bed and her blue eyes shut. "Tired?"

"Yeah," murmured the state trooper, "been a long day."

"It has," readily agreed the college student. She slipped out of the bed and ventured back over to Ashley's desk. She returned the yearbook back to its home then joined Ashley on the bed again. She settled onto her stomach besides Ashley, her arms crossed in front of her, and her head resting on her arms. "What we doing tomorrow?"

Ashley slowly opened her eyes and turned her head. "Well… I thought you'd like to check out Rehoboth since it's been awhile."

"I can't remember anything." Katia softly laughed.

The state trooper grinned a little but lost it. "You like to shop?" Suddenly a devilish glint was in Katia's eyes and Ashley already knew the answer to her question.

"Just a little bit," teased Katia, "but I'm good about it…." Her grin now appeared. "For the most part."

Ashley snickered and turned her head away with a grin on her face. "It's probably a good thing you don't have much money right now."

"Probably," relented the younger woman. "I'd buy a lot of junk."

Ashley chuckled as she laced her hands together on her stomach. "Honestly…." She rotated her head back to Katia again. "There are a few gay and lesbian shops in Rehoboth."

Katia's eyes slightly widened and her expression went from surprised to perplexed. "That... probably explains it."

Ashley now had the confused look as she curiously asked, "What's that?"

Katia was in deep thought and just barely made out Ashley's question. She shook her head and focused on her best friend again. "Why my father wasn't so keen on Rehoboth."

Ashley's lips thinned out while she turned her head away. "Probably would explain it," she gently agreed.

Katia slightly grinned and not for any particular reason other than the fact she was spending time with Ashley. She shifted around so that she now laid on her right side and faced Ashley. "We'll go to some gay shops, right?" She snuggled up against Ashley.

The state trooper arched an eyebrow at her best friend when she sensed Katia snuggling up against her. "You have to be gay to go in."

Katia laughed and teased back, "I'm happy."

Ashley suddenly laughed back at Katia's joke. "Yes, you seem to only be happy when you're around me."

Katia sharply reacted by swatting Ashley's side. "You just rub off on me, Ash."

Ashley quietly grunted then thoroughly teased, "Oh I wish."

Katia laughed then buried her face between Ashley's shoulder and the bed, her eyes closed. "You break up and you're already flirting."

"Katia, I was flirting when I was dating," reminded the state trooper. "Just because I'm dating doesn't mean I'm blind."

Katia's body shook with silent laughs, her lips glued by a grin. "Don't fall for the straight girls, Ash."

Ashley's face very slowly darkened with a wicked grin. "Baby, girls go lesbian just because they saw me."

Katia suddenly shot up and looked down at her best friend.

Ashley had never seen Katia so bright right before and it made a stop light look dull. Ashley closed her eyes as a hysteria of laughter took her over.

Katia flooded with relief and fell onto her back as she broke down laughing.

Ashley started to calm down and she rolled onto her left side. She easily wrapped her arms around her best friend and buried her face into Katia's neck. "You know how red you were?"

Katia shook her head and she patted her chest with her hand. "But by how my face is burning I think I can guess." She cleared her throat and felt the last chuckles escape her. Not only did her stomach ache from laughing but so did her face from the deep smiles.

"It was cute," warmly teased the older woman.

Katia chuckled but now she sensed her body warming for different reasons than laughter. In all her time with Ashley, she'd never had Ashley this relaxed or physical. Katia knew she enjoyed it as much as Ashley but at the same time she desperately tried not let herself soak in it. It brought on too many things for Katia that she thought she couldn't face. Yet just some times, like this time, she didn't care and went with her desires so they left her happily comfortable in her friend's embrace.

"Getting quiet," whispered Ashley and she gently squeezed her friend across her waist with her arm. "Are you okay with…."

Katia understood Ashley's question and concern so she shook her head. "Don't be worried."

"Mmmm, thank you," murmured the slowly tiring officer.

Katia considered why Ashley was so much more relaxed with her now than in the past. She first thought it might have been the fact they were alone and Ashley was on break. Then the fact that Ashley was now single also figured into Katia's reasoning since there was nothing holding Ashley back. For a second that worried Katia since that meant Ashley had more freedom to be in contact with Katia yet Katia's current relationship barred things as well.

"What you thinking about?" whispered Ashley.

Katia grumbled and as she closed her eyes. "Just about Bobby."

Ashley was silent for a moment and noted nothing was forthcoming from Katia so she decided to push. "What about him?" Her eyes slightly opened despite she really couldn't see. "Anything happen?"

Katia knew her friend well enough to be able to read the sudden tension in Ashley. "No, no everything is okay," she promised. She patted Ashley's stomach and teased, "Don't get all your fur in a ruffle, tiger."

Just for effect and a small laugh, Ashley growled. When Katia chuckled, Ashley grinned in response but it slipped and she squeezed Katia's stomach for attention. "What were you thinking?"

"Not sure," confessed the college student. She remained silent for awhile as her thoughts went ramped. It was rare, quiet moments like this with Ashley when Katia was almost prepared to tell everything. Yet her courage only reached so far and she'd tuck it away like it didn't exist and everything was fine. "You know, Ash… I'm not sure why I'm dating him."

"What you mean?" Ashley tried to relax even though this wasn't her favourite topic of discussion. She'd gone from disliking this guy to absolutely loathing him. At the same time though, Ashley had to protect her best friend as both a state trooper and a friend so that meant keeping Katia with him until she could take Bobby down.

"I guess I think I jumped into things too soon." Katia shook her head as if she misunderstood her own words. "If that makes sense."

"It does," agreed the state trooper. "You and Bobby dated pretty soon within meeting each other."

"Yeah I know and sometimes I think that was my mistake." Katia sighed and rubbed her upper stomach, just above Ashley's protective arm.

"Did you jump in too soon because of your friends?"

Katia stopped rubbing her stomach and realized Ashley had a reasonable explanation. She had to admit when Sarah, Erin, and Mike gave her a hard time about her relationship with Ashley she'd become more determined to silence them or mislead them. "Yeah, I think so," she murmured.

Ashley immediately knew it had to do with her and her relationship with Katia that brought on Katia's instant decision to date Bobby. Ashley suddenly felt annoyed and frustrated because she could almost kick herself for pressuring Katia into a bad relationship.

"Hey," whispered Katia and she shook her friend gently. "I know what you're thinking… it's not your fault, Ash."

The state trooper suddenly lifted her head and peered down at Katia. "You know as well as I do that you wouldn't have been so quick to date him if I hadn't shown up."

"Ashley, come on now." Katia brought her left hand to Ashley's cheek. "I'm a big girl and I think I can decide for myself."

"That's not what I'm saying," countered the state trooper.

Katia sighed heavily as her hand slipped away back to her stomach. She noted how Ashley's eyes were tinted a grey now from frustrated emotions. "What are you saying then?"

"I'm saying two things," started Ashley, "first you try too hard to prove yourself to please people." Slowly her eyebrow arched as she quietly added, "And second, you try extra hard to prove who you pretend to be."

Katia swallowed hard and her eyes lowered from Ashley. "This ain't the best topic, Ash."

"I know." Ashley shook her head then brushed back a few of her midnight strands of hair. "I had a hard time too playing straight girl."

Katia turned her head away in hopes it'd show her disinterest in the conversation.

Ashley didn't bite it though and she gently turned her friend's head back. She kept her fingertips against Katia's cheeks incase she tried to turn away. "Katia, how long are you going to keep pretending?"

"I'm not," countered Katia, her eyes a dark mossy shade. "I'm straight and it's great," she roughly joked then sat up and got out of the bed.

Ashley grunted at the joke that reminded her of a silly lesbian movie. She now got up too and came up behind Katia, her hands on Katia's hips. "I'm sorry," she murmured close to Katia's ear.

Katia knew that was her friend's way of saying that was the end of the topic, for now. She turned around and hugged Ashley for a long while.

The state trooper let go of the topic knowing it was still too hard on Katia. At the same time, she knew if she didn't start to press Katia then the vicious cycle her friend was caught in wouldn't end. At some point, Katia would have to face it and for whatever reason, Ashley felt that day coming soon and maybe too soon. "Let's get some sleep," she whispered.

The younger woman lifted her head from Ashley's chest. "Yeah… I'm definitely exhausted."

"Come on, time for bed." Ashley released the small woman and took a step back to give space.

Katia slowly made her way to the door. "Rehoboth tomorrow, right?"

"Yes," agreed the state trooper, her face slightly lightening up compared to earlier. "Maybe we'll have dinner there too."

Katia now smiled and nodded. "I'd like that." She grabbed the door knob of the door but hesitated to open it when Ashley came closer to her, in her personal space.

"Just you and me though," playfully whispered Ashley.

Katia shook her head and patted the older woman's muscular stomach. "I need to find you a girlfriend."

Ashley laughed and further teased, "Don't tempt me… we are in a gay area, K."

The college student opened her mouth but her words didn't come out. She tilted her head back and curiously studied Ashley then finally asked, "Tempt you meaning… look for somebody?"

Ashley smirked at the worry in Katia's eyes. "Possibly," she whispered then walked away while calling, "Go to bed."

Katia shook her head, opened the door and stepped out. Before closing the door, she poked her head in and flirtatiously teased, "You won't find any of them as good as me." Then she was gone.

Ashley spun around right when the door closed and she glared at the shut door like it was Katia. "Damn her," she grumbled but a grin cut into her glare. It wasn't long though before Ashley crawled into her old bed and she faded into a warm yet confusing dream that night.

***

Katia rested back into the ladder back chair and smiled when Mrs. Carver sat down beside her. In front of her was a plate of freshly prepared breakfast foods. The smell of eggs, toast, and bacon floated up and filled Katia's senses so that her stomach happily growled.

Katherine softly smiled at the young woman's appetite. She was settling into her chair, across from Katia and she too had breakfast.

"Thank you," spoke Katia, a smile on her face but it was directed at the food.

Katherine's smile grew deeper. "You're welcome, Katia." She picked up her fork but before beginning to eat, she further commented, "I adore anybody that enjoys my meals."

Katia's cheeks quietly coloured but she ignored it as she picked up her fork. "I can eat when I want to."

Katherine was enjoying her sunside egg. "And Ashley isn't the only one that wonders where it goes in your stomach."

Katia quietly laughed and shook her head. "I have a fast metabolism." She brushed back some of her hair behind her left ear then went back to eating her scrambled eggs.

"How did you sleep?" inquired the mother.

"Pretty good," replied the college student. "The bed was really comfortable."

"Yes, that's the best bed in the house," admitted the older woman. "You sink to the middle."

"Mmmm." Katia's eyes were faintly lit from memories of being happily snuggled deep into the soft bed. "Can I take it back to college with me?"

Katherine refrained from laughing since she was eating but she was grinning. "I have a better idea." She lowered her fork and her fingertips brushed against her piece of toast. "Take Ashley's… it's the same make."

Katia's expression was tightly woven as she considered that. She then realized Katherine was right as old memories filtered back to Katia of being in Ashley's bed. "I think I will," she joked.

Katherine faintly grinned and finished her piece of toast. "Are you two doing anything today?"

"We thought we'd go into Rehoboth," mentioned Katia. "I haven't really been there since I was a kid."

Katherine nodded a few times. "Rehoboth has changed a lot over the years… so has Ocean City."

"I don't like OC as much," complained the young woman. "My sister and I joke around and call it Ocean Shitty. I can't stand that area… well other than all the outlet stores."

Katherine widely grinned. "You enjoy shopping?"

"Oooh yeah but only if I have money." Katia softly laughed. "I'm not so good with window shopping."

Katherine dipped her head. She was thoroughly enjoying this young woman that her daughter had befriend and that thought struck a question in her mind. She lifted her head and quietly asked, "How did you and my daughter meet? Ashley has never told me."

Katia held her breath for a moment as she toyed with her bacon on the plate. "It was kinda accidental."

Katherine quirked an eyebrow in interest. "Oh?" She picked up her last piece of toast but before eating it, she quietly added, "My little knight in shining armour." She grinned at Katia's confused expression. "Ashley has a tendency to be in the right places at the right time."

Katia sighed and nodded her head. "That she does, I won't argue there." She softly laughed and shook her head at old memories. "I was trying to runaway," she quietly mentioned as her head lifted and her gaze met Katherine's concerned looks. "I'd hitched a ride with this guy… he told me he was headed up north. So I got in his car with him and I was fairly tired so I fell to sleep soon after. When I woke up I realized he hadn't been heading north and was headed south back to Maryland." She sighed and took a moment to brush back another few loose strands of hair. "I tried to get out, make him stop… he wouldn't listen then he suddenly went onto this back road."

Katherine remained quiet but intently listening to each detail. She was beginning to understand her daughter's growing protective streak.

"Anyway, I managed to get out of his car when we got on this dirt road. He chased after me until Ashley came out of nowhere." Katia sadly smiled at recalling her best friend stopping her attacker. "After that, Ashley took me to her place back in Hunt Valley."

Katherine furrowed her eyebrows and lowered her uneaten toast to her plate. "That's a bit odd for Ashley to do."

"What's that?" curiously asked the college student.

"Take you home." Katherine was quiet and tried to understand why her daughter wouldn't have taken Katia to the local police. "She didn't take you to the police?"

"No, I mean… how could she?" Katia shrugged and added, "I was over eighteen so essential it was my decision to leave college."

The mother frowned as she considered this but she still was surprised by her daughter's actions. "It just seems a little… out of character for Ashley."

Katia shrugged. "Maybe she figured she had things under control.." She then teasingly grinned. "I mean I had the best protection… a state trooper."

Katherine chuckled and nodded. She picked up her toast again but she still considered all the recent changes. "Honestly Ashley has done some strange things lately."

"Like what?" prompted the young woman.

Katherine stared down at her half empty plate and continued to consider things. As she looked over her daughter's recent actions and changes, she started to figure out what was the cause of them. When her eyes focused on Katia again she realized she was staring at Ashley's deepest desire. "I'm not sure," she whispered.

Katia was a little confused because it seemed as if Katherine truly knew. She couldn't understand why Katherine would hide anything but then again this was Katherine's daughter they were discussing. She lowered her head and pushed around the remaining bite of her eggs.

Katherine could tell the younger woman was uneasy and she understood why. So she reached across and patted Katia's left hand. "You've been really good for Ashley."

Katia peered up and a sad smile pulled at her lips. "I hope so."

Katherine chuckled and withdrew her hand. "Trust me, Katia. A mother knows her daughter well and I've never seen Ashley this well off." She nodded her head a few times.

Katia gently grinned and teased, "I have Ashley's mother's approval."

"And support," hastily added the mother.

Katia shook her head and happily munched on her bacon some.

Katherine had finished her eggs and toast and now only had her three strips of bacon left. "Ashley hasn't told you how important you are to her?" She tried to keep the context wide and vague to see what she'd draw out of the younger woman.

"She has," admitted Katia. She ate the last bit of her bacon then quietly added, "I guess just after recently I've been worried." The mother lifted an eyebrow to prompt her and swore she saw some of Ashley in Katherine just because of that expression. "It's about what happened between her and Laurel."

"Ashley only mentioned she broke up with her but didn't give me many details."

Katia nodded and rested back in her chair, she'd eat the last piece of bacon later. "I kind of helped… end it."

Katherine's eyebrow jumped back up. "Oh?"

Katia just had to chuckle at the look but she sighed after a minute. "One night I'd called Laurel's house number and a guy answered. I pretended like I'd dialled the wrong number and insisted to this guy that I had the right number. After a minute, he told me it was his girlfriend's number."

Katherine cringed slightly. "You told Ashley?"

"Not exactly." Katia shifted in her seat some. "Me and a few of my friends, we all drove up to Lancaster the next day. I had my Nikon with me so I was lucky enough to get photos of Laurel and her boyfriend together."

Katherine was shaking her head.

"The following morning, I went to Ashley and showed her the photos." Katia sighed and peered down at her plate. "I know Ashley went up to Lancaster to break up with her and I didn't hear anything from her until late that night… just a message."

Katherine was slightly bemused. "And why are you concerned about what happened?"

Katia shrugged and peered up from her plate. "I'm just worried Ashley is upset with me for doing what I did." She laced her hands together in her lap. "Not only did I go up to Lancaster to stick my nose into her business. But I also kinda of stole Laurel's numbers out of Ashley's cell phone."

The mother clearly understood the young woman's concern. "Did you talk to her about it?"

"Kinda of," admitted Katia. "She told me not to worry because she wasn't mad. But it's really not that I'm worried about."

"You're worried about the trust," stated Katherine.

"Yes." Katia inhaled deeply as her eyes met Katherine's. "I mean it could come back to slap me in the face, which it should I suppose." She ran her fingers through her messy hair. "I did go behind her back."

"With good intent," reminded the mother.

"With dirty good intent," chided Katia.

Katherine softly laughed and smiled at Katia. "Either way, Katia you meant well. You meant to help Ashley out despite you knew Ashley would probably be upset… at you, at Laurel." She touched her fork, which rested on her plate, and she idly fiddled with it. "Ashley recognizes that, Katia." She pulled her hand away and rested them on the edge of the table. "If you're really concerned, just talk to her about it."

"You think she'll want to?"

Katherine stood up and her face was lit by a smile. "Ashley is easy to work with. She'll talk about it." She reached forward to pick up Katia's plate but before she hauled it up, Katia swiped the strip of bacon. That made Katherine laugh and she went to the sink. "Would you like something to drink?"

Katia was munching on her bacon and she'd just swallowed a bite. She nodded at Katherine's question.

The mother was fussing with the various beverages in the fridge and she finally found the orange juice in the back. She carried it to the counter and pulled a glass out of the cupboard.

Katia took a quick moment to glance at the time and realized it was a little after eleven. She was actually surprised that Ashley wasn't awake considering how toned Ashley was to getting up early. She then figured it was Ashley's break and probably a rare time for Ashley to sleep in.

Katherine gave Katia her drink and went back to the sink to clean up the few dishes.

Katia took a small sip of her drink then shifted around in her chair. She leaned her left side against the back of the chair and studied Katherine. "What are you doing today?"

Katherine glanced over her shoulder then went back to the dishes in the sink. "I need to stop in at my restaurant later then this evening I'll be at Thomas's." She then glanced back over her shoulder. "Thomas is Ashley's older brother."

"That's what Ashley told me." Katia smiled then took a moment to get more comfortable. She lifted her left leg up and tucked it under her right leg. "Ashley told me Thomas has two children."

"Oh yes." Katherine quietly laughed. "That's why I'm going there this evening. Thomas and his wife, Anna, are going out to dinner tonight."

"Ahha grandchildren sitting," gently teased the college student.

The mother softly laughed and nodded. "They're very good kids."

Katia warmly smiled at that. "I can't wait to meet them on Thanksgiving."

"You might get your chance sooner if you're nice," teased a deep, husky voice from the doorway.

Katia's attention snapped from Katherine and went to Ashley.

The state trooper was running her hands through her dishevelled hair and tried to put some organization to it. She hadn't bothered to brush it when she got up and hadn't decided to change out of her sleep clothes. She was grateful to see neither did her best friend.

"Good morning, dear," greeted Katherine from her spot by the sink.

"Morning, mother." Ashley flashed a smile to her mom then looked back at Katia. She took a quiet minute to enjoy her friend's relax manor. She also took in what Katia wore, which were a pair of bright red soft sports pants and for a top she merely wore a white camisole that slightly revealed the lower portion of her stomach. "How'd you sleep?" she directed to Katia while coming over to the table.

"Really well." Katia smiled across to Ashley when Ashley sat down. "You?"

"Woke up a few times thinking I had to get on duty."

Katia giggled and shook her head. "You're on break, sergeant."

Ashley sighed and comfortable leaned back into her chair. "I know that's why I stayed in bed." She heard Katia chuckle at her but her focus went to her mother. She noted her mother was now at the stove and scrambling some eggs.

"Would you like some ketchup with your eggs?" Katherine turned her head to her daughter then glanced over at Katia. "My daughter is a truck driver."

Katia giggled and covered her mouth with her hand when Ashley shot her a dark look.

"If that's okay by you, mother," taunted the state trooper.

Katherine sighed dramatically. "I don't understand why you want to ruin your mother's scrambled eggs with ketchup." She then grinned at her child. "Your father and I sent you to a high ranking all girls boarding school and you come back with manors like this."

Ashley laughed but she grinned at her best friend. "Didn't you put ketchup on your eggs at Oldfields?"

Katherine's gaze instantly shot to Katia in surprise.

"Yeah actually," admitted Katia, "I learned it from my friend, Megan." She mirrored back Ashley's devilish grin. "They taste better."

"Thank you," praised Ashley, her teasing look on her mother now. "I'm not alone."

"I'm sure you're not along with the rest of you classmates." Katherine carefully scrapped the eggs onto a clean plate and she carried it over to the toaster. "I fine boarding school, I'll never believe it." She'd toasted bread earlier and now buttered it. She carried the plate over to Ashley and settled it in front of her.

"Mother, I wasn't bad compared to the rest of the other girls." Ashley happily studied the food and waited for her mother to bring her a fork. When she peered up, she found her mother holding out the fork. "Thank you." She took it and then Katherine roughly dropped the bottle of ketchup in front of her daughter, which made Ashley laugh.

Katherine merely grinned and went back to the refrigerator. "Yes, I still recall being at that softball game. I couldn't believe how many times that pitcher…." She pulled back from the fridge with a shake of her head at the memories.

"What'd she do?" murmured Katia.

Ashley smirked and quietly replied, "The pitcher had a certain system she followed before each pitch." When Katia's grin appeared, Ashley continued with the story. "She would brush her hair back with her right hand, scuff her foot in the dirt a few times, and then she'd reach back and pick her wedgy."

Katia dropped her head back and laughed loudly.

Ashley was shaking her head as she pushed the ketchup bottle aside. When Katia settled down, she quietly added, "The worst part was I was the first baseman."

Katia quickly thought about it and she broke down laughing again. She could just imagine a young Ashley Carver proudly standing at first base and having a clear view of the pitcher always picking her wedgy.

Katherine had been listening and completely shaking her head the whole time. She set her small knife aside and picked up the plate that had several fruits sliced up such as green apples, kiwi, and some melon. She carried it over to the table and placed it between the two girls. She then went into the living room and picked up a chair.

Ashley signalled the plate of fruit to Katia and said, "Go ahead."

Katia smiled and picked up a slice of kiwi, she happily munched on it.

Katherine settled her chair between Katia and Ashley and contently sighed when she sat. "Yes, that pitcher was quite… phenomenal if I recall correctly."

"She was," agreed the state trooper before she shovelled up some of her scrambled eggs.

Katherine turned her attention to Katia. "When did you go to Oldfields?"

Katia was taking the last drink of her orange juice. She put the glass down and replied, "I started in ninety-seven… graduated in 2001."

Katherine then turned her head to her daughter. "You didn't mention she went to Oldfields too."

"I didn't know," protested Ashley. "We just figured it out last night."

"I saw Ashley's trophies and yearbooks from Oldfields," chimed in Katia.

"Oh," murmured the mother. She then smiled. "Oldfields was a wonderful school and it was good for Ashley."

The state trooper didn't say anything but she did roll her eyes.

Katia saw it but she pretended not to despite her grin. "I loved Oldfields… I miss it a lot." A random thought then occurred to her and she curiously studied Ashley. "Did you hear about that lawsuit against Oldfields?"

Ashley perked up at the question. "I did actually. They sent out letters about it in the beginning then I didn't hear anything." She shrugged. "It was about a year or two ago."

"Yes, it was about a new girl's mother who claimed her daughter's horse wasn't properly cared for."

Ashley huffed. "That was only half of it, K."

"Yeah I know and the mother claimed that Oldfields promotes lesbianism or whatever." Katia quietly laughed in surprise and shook her head. "Boy did she have her chickens crossed."

Ashley was shaking her head as she finished off her toast. "You have to admit, K that school either made you straight or gay."

Katia laughed and rested back in her chair. "That's for sure." She glanced over at Katherine. "It was a pretty big deal there… the gay community."

Katherine lifted an eyebrow and glanced at Ashley. "It wasn't when you were there."

"No, it just started happening in my Senior year," admitted Ashley.

Katia ran her fingers through her hair as she spoke. "A lot of the lesbians on campus were coming out during my four years. There were also a lot of lesbian teachers popping out of the woodworks, so to speak."

"Katia, there were plenty there when I went." Ashley pushed her empty plate aside and picked up an apple slice. "They were just discreet."

"Oh I know," agreed Katia, "but I'm saying a lot of other lesbian teachers showed up later." She shook her head. "My coach was, I swear."

Ashley furrowed her eyebrows together. "Johnson?"

"No, no she was new my sophomore year, you wouldn't know her." Katia sighed and looked at Katherine again. "It was just a lot of gossip at Oldfields."

"I know how that is at that school," agreed the mother. She laced her hands together in her lap. "Ashley use to tell me a bit and my guess was it wasn't even half of it."

Ashley grinned. "It wasn't, mother." She shook her head and picked up a melon slice. "It was amazing how fast gossip could spread through that school."

"I know!" Katia shot forward in her chair and locked eyes with Ashley, a grin plastered on her face. "If you told somebody something on one end of campus you could time it and it'd be on the other end of campus in five minutes before you could even walk over there." Ashley laughed in agreement. "I mean, if we could harness the speed of gossip at Oldfields then flying to Mars would only take a week."

Katherine now joined her daughter's laughter. When everybody settled, she curiously looked between the girls. "What became of the lawsuit?"

"I didn't hear anything," admitted Ashley and she quirked an eyebrow at her best friend.

Katia leaned back into her chair again. "I didn't hear either but I did hear one strange thing." When Ashley gave her a prompting look, she continued. "A friend of mine had heard that the courts enforced Oldfields to tell applying students that Oldfields promotes lesbianism."

The state trooper rolled her eyes. "If it was one thing that Oldfields fought against it was the lesbianism."

"They wouldn't allow relationships on campus," agreed Katia, "but they couldn't discriminate, Ash."

Ashley nodded her head. "That is true." She shook her head a little. "Either way, Oldfields didn't promote it."

"I wasn't sure sometimes," muttered Katia. "I think I got mixed messages considering half the female staff was gay by the time I left."

Ashley pointed a finger at her best friend. "But they couldn't discriminate, K." A grin spread on her lips.

"No, but why were they hiring mostly gay teachers?" challenged the college student. "I know there had to be more than one teacher applying to the positions."

The state trooper started to smirk. "But maybe the gay teacher was more qualified to teach the subject over the straight one." She then picked up a piece of apple from the fruit plate.

"Or maybe they really did promote lesbianism," shot back Katia.

Ashley was grinning as she munched on her apple slice.

"Oldfields had a change in headmasters," commented Katherine.

"Yes," agreed Katia, her attention sharpened on the older woman. "My first year was when she started. Dr. Joanna James… we all called her D.J. or Dr. J."

Ashley chuckled.

Katia glanced back at her best friend. "Dr. J was an… interesting headmistress."

"How's that?" Ashley was picking out a piece of sliced kiwi. She noted her best friend doing the same thing.

"Well," started Katia, "Dr. J was married, had some kids, but her husband worked and lived out in the mid-west." Ashley suddenly had a perplexed look and Katia grinned at it. "And do you remember Susannah Lessings?"

"Oh god do I ever," murmured Ashley, "The Dean of Discipline."

"Well a lot and I mean a lot of rumours spread about Lessings and Dr. J being together." Katia relished the shocked look on Ashley's face. "They were like this." She held up her right hand with her index and middle fingers crossed. "Always together."

Ashley breathed heavily as she swiped the last apple slice. "Lessings… I can't imagine with her type A personality."

Katia laughed. "Ash, let me tell you Lessings was on Dr. J like white on rice." She shook her head, her grin still in place. "Lessings was always by Dr. J's side and following her all over."

The state trooper was shaking her head and she looked at her mother. "Do you believe this?"

Katherine raised an eyebrow at her child. "Now I know why I shouldn't have let your father send you there."

Ashley's jaw dropped in offence. "Mother."

Katherine laughed and patted her daughter's back. "It's an excellent school regardless of what people assume." She then looked back at Katia. "It doesn't matter where you go, there will be gays… at work, in your town, at college… high school." She laced her hands in her lap. "It's a fact of life just like many other things."

Katia blinked and admired Katherine's profound and obvious support for her daughter.

The mother knowingly grinned and grasped Katia's hand that was on the edge of the table. "Katia, it took me awhile to realize that." She squeezed Katia's hand then released it. "Despite at times I still wish Ashley wasn't…." She eyed her daughter. "What's that word you use?"

"Colourful," supplied the state trooper.

Katherine grinned at Ashley then returned her focus to Katia. "Colourful. I don't wish Ashley to have a harder life because life is hard enough without that added quality of being gay that many people look down on." She inhaled deeply then quietly but forcefully whispered, "I just rather Ashley be who she is and not pretend to be something she's not."

Katia breathed heavily and nodded.

"Okay, mother," cut in Ashley, "I think you've made Katia speechless enough."

Katherine quietly laughed and smiled. "It's something Katia needs to hear."

"I agree," finally spoke up Katia, she looked between the mother and daughter. "Thank you."

Katherine genuinely smiled and concluded she was growing fonder of Katia.

"And now that you're finished embarrassing me," teasingly cut in Ashley, "I think we should head out, K."

Katia perked up at the suggestion and as she grabbed the last kiwi slice, she stated, "I get the shower first."

Ashley laughed but she nodded. "You're first then." She smiled and warmly ordered, "Go on."

Katia nodded and with a full mouth of kiwi, she sprung up from her seat and quietly went into through the dinning room, living room, and went upstairs.

Ashley was picking through the last two melon slices.

Katherine studied her daughter; she could always read Ashley easily. "It bothered you I said that?"

The state trooper sighed while picking up a melon slice. "Not me exactly, just concerned how… Katia will take to it."

"Well she obviously supports you, Ashley," countered the mother.

"Oh I know." Ashley thoughtfully ate the fruit. Her mind worked over her concern for her mother's earlier speech. "I'm not sure what it is really."

Katherine sighed and patted her daughter's arm. "You can't protect her all the time, dear." She then stood up, picked up the fruit plate but held it out to her daughter.

Ashley accepted the last slice of melon, she raised it to her lips. "She needs it though with the way trouble finds her."

Katherine shook her head while she also collected Ashley's empty breakfast plate. "Dear, she's been hiding all her life." She stacked the plates and made her way to the sink. "I think you need to help her get out of that habit."

The state trooper huffed and sidelong glanced at her mother. "You know how hard that would be? She's so damn stubborn, mother."

Katherine spun around, her right eyebrow shot up. "And you're not, Ashlinn K. Carver?"

Ashley cringed at the use of her proper name. "I think Katia beats me."

Katherine smirked then turned back around to clean up the dishes. "I think you can beat her at her own game, Ashley. You're very persistent when you want to be, dear." She then looked over her shoulder and stated, "When she tries to back away, just keep pushing." She turned her head away again.

Ashley sighed as she got up from her chair. "I hope you're right."

"I'm your mother, I'm always right." Katherine smiled at her daughter that now stood beside her. When Ashley smiled back at her, Katherine saw the worry glowing deep in Ashley's eyes. She knew the relationship between the two younger women was extremely deep and weaving tighter as each day passed. At first she couldn't figure out what kept them separated but then late last night it occurred to her it was something Ashley had said that made sense to her. Katia was in fear about who she was and not because she wanted to be but because she had to be.

Katherine thought long and hard about that last night and discovered Katia's fear had to be breed from her family. It was the only conclusion that truly seemed to be a suitable explanation in Katherine's mind. Katia came off as a very family orientated person however at the same time Katia seemed to hold a certain distance from her family. Katherine found it fascinating yet scary too because whoever was striking the fear in Katia had a strong hold on the young woman.

By the time Katherine had rolled over to get some sleep, she'd promised both her and Ashley she'd never turn into that type of mother. She held Ashley so dear despite their past disputes about Ashley's lifestyle but Katherine never wanted Ashley to feel unloved and unaccepted. Katherine was Ashley's mother and that meant supporting Ashley and her choices, she would do just that.

Ashley could sense her mother's quiet reverie and she leaned over to kiss her mother on the temple. "Thank you," she murmured.

Katherine broke away and looked up from the sink. "What for, dear?"

Ashley now rested her hand to her mother's midback. "For always supporting me even when you don't always understand."

Katherine sighed and grabbed the dish towel off to her right. As she dried her hands, she spoke. "I wouldn't say always but I've been trying." She set the dish towel aside. "I just want you happy, Ashlinn."

"I know," whispered Ashley, her chest tight with emotions. Her mother then stepped in closer and hugged her tightly.

The mother released her child and warmly told her, "Go get ready. Katia should be finished up."

Ashley dipped her head then quietly headed for the doorway in the kitchen. "And thanks for breakfast, mother."

Katherine smiled at the appreciation. "I know how you like your mother's cooking."

"Mmmm," agreed the state trooper. "Katia cooks pretty well too."

Katherine's expression darkened and she threatened, "Is it better than mine?"

Ashley stood in the doorway and smirked at her mother. "Oh no, mother yours is the best."

Katherine laughed and shook her head as she turned away. "Bye, dear."

Ashley laughed and quietly hurried off to get ready.

***

Katia forcefully zipped up her wool jacket to keep her warm against the chilly air. She walked a little closer to Ashley in hopes her body would warm up more.

Ashley caught it from the corner of her eye. She inwardly grinned but quietly asked, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah," brushed off the college student. She shifted even closer to Ashley when somebody on the sidewalk passed near her.

"We'll duck in here," offered Ashley. "Back in this alley area."

Katia glanced ahead and read the small sign that dangled off its post. "Lambda Rising."

Ashley grinned at Katia's reading. "Oh wait." She suddenly stopped and when Katia questioning looked at her, her grin went wider. "You can't go in there."

Katia's expression grew threatening but then she hastily lost it and grabbed Ashley's hand. "Come on, you can pretend to be my girlfriend."

The state trooper laughed loudly and followed Katia into the alley patio that lead back to the store's front door. She then separated from Katia and got to the door first. She pulled it open and let the smaller woman in first. She then came in after and grabbed Katia's shoulders while loudly stating, "Baby, I'm sorry but this isn't the sex toy store."

Katia stiffened as all the gay males and females turned to her and Ashley. Then Ashley's words finally registered in her mind and she went into a rich crimson shade. She cleared her throat and throatily whispered, "We'll just have to hit Sex R' Us on the way out, sweetie pie."

Ashley's eyes widened in complete shock at Katia's comeback. She wiped her look away and licked her lips.

Several of the gay males in the store laughed together and hastily went back to what they were looking at earlier. The lesbians all had wide smirks and shook their heads but decided best not to make any comment.

"Well I'll be damned," called an employee from behind the register.

Ashley's eyes locked on the person and she inwardly groaned. She started to step around her best friend when the other person came towards them.

"How have you been, Ashley?" The employee stopped a few steps from Ashley and smiled up at the tall trooper. "I can't recall when I last saw you."

Katia looked between the unknown person and her best friend. She then curiously scanned over the employee and wondered how they knew Ashley.

"I've been well." Ashley offered her hand and got a brisk shake in return. "How about you, Heather?"

"Fabulous." Heather brushed back her dark brown hair behind her ear only to reveal several piercings. "Nothing much has changed for me."

Ashley folded her arms over her chest and smirked. "Still screwing around, huh?"

"And llloving it," agreed Heather with a laugh. Her hazel eyes were extremely bright when they focused on Katia. "This is your girlfriend, I take it."

Ashley peered down at Katia in question.

Katia chewed on her lower lip from the inquisitive yet laughing stare coming from her best friend. She suddenly held out her hand to Heather and stated, "Katia Danforth."

"Katia?" purred Heather, her grin grew slyly. "Ashley knows how to get the hot ones."

"Oh yeah," agreed Katia, "she has excellent taste."

Heather laughed and nodded a few times. "It's all about the taste for Ashley."

The state trooper groaned inwardly at all the sexual connotations flying between them.

Katia forced herself to laugh but her body was tense with aggravation for this woman.

"So," cut in Ashley trying to break the bad jokes. "How's life been, Heather?"

"It's been good," casually replied Heather, "almost finished with college." She nodded then asked, "And you? Still playing cops and robbers?"

Ashley smirked and tilted her head to the side. "Sure am."

Heather shook her head and stated, "That doesn't surprise me."

Ashley gave a fake smile then grasped her friend's shoulders. "I think Katia and I are going to look around."

"Oh yeah." Heather waved them off while heading back to her post behind the register. "Enjoy yourselves." She then winked and turned around.

Katia's body relaxed and she let Ashley lead her down an aisle to her right where there were a mix of gay cards and gay or gay related books. "Who is she?"

Ashley ducked her head down closer to Katia's and whispered, "Tell you later."

Katia nodded her head in agreement and decided to shake her mood off by looking around. Despite it was a small shop, Katia was impressed by what they had stacked all over and in between. She eventually made her way to the small movie section and started milling through them. Off to her left she could make out Ashley flipping through a book. Katia devilishly grinned, looked up from the back of a DVD case, and smirked at her friend. "Find any interesting positions in there that we haven't tried?"

Ashley blinked and looked over at Katia. "Katia," she hissed and closed up the book quickly.

The younger woman shrugged and slipped the DVD away. To her right she heard a guy snickering at her joke and she refrained from laughing as well. She then came over to the trooper as Ashley was putting the book back into its home. She affectionately slipped her arms around Ashley's waist to purely tease her. "Oh come on, baby we only have fifty-seven positions. We need to…." She peered up and her eyes glowed with mischief. "Expand our horizons," she whispered.

Ashley groaned and quickly stepped out of her friend's embrace. She shot a dangerous look at Katia for all the teasing and she went around to the second aisle.

Katia had never really gotten Ashley this speechless and she loved it. Katia quickly came around the other side of the aisle and met Ashley next to all the lesbian and gay greeting cards.

"Don't you dare say a word," hotly whispered Ashley.

Katia peered up and into a serious expression but Ashley's eyes were playful. For a second Katia was scared she'd gone too far but she knew too that she had to settle herself for Ashley's sake. "I'm going to go check out the advertising," she mentioned and disappeared over to the right of the store. Katia's vision was blurred by the colours of the rainbow.

Ashley had a faint glimpse of her best friend. Ashley let out a shaky sigh but she tried not to show how Katia was unnerving her, especially since Heather was staring at her. She wasn't the one to reveal anything and under Heather's scrutiny she decided she needed to play back with Katia. With that in mind, she quietly crossed the store and rested her hands on Katia's hips from behind. "See any bumper stickers for your benz?" she teased.

Katia swallowed and she fought her natural desire to lean back into Ashley. "Um not particularly." She ran her fingers through her hair. "I don't think I'm quite ready to advertise yet."

"I don't know," challenged Ashley, "I think that little gay squiggly would look good on your car."

Katia groaned and shook her head. "Why not on yours?" she shot back and tilted her head.

Ashley grinned down at her best friend. "I don't need to advertise when I have you."

Katia laughed and quickly got away from Ashley. "Can we go now?"

The state trooper shrugged and slipped her hands into her pockets. "I'm good to go." She then glanced over at register. "See you, Heather."

"Hey take it easy, Ashley," called Heather to the leaving trooper.

"You too." Ashley waved then quickly left behind Katia.

For once Katia was relieved to feel the cold air hit her. Her body quickly cooled down and went a little more stable along with her breathing. She smiled up at her friend. "Where to next?"

Ashley thought about it as they exited the patio alley. "I think the boardwalk."

"Oh great where it's colder," complained the smaller woman.

Ashley laughed and made a right onto the sidewalk. "You'll live, K." She stole a quick glance at her watch to see it was a little after three in the afternoon. She considered what time it probably would be when Katia would get hungry and she judged about five pm. With that in mind, she shifted closer to Katia and asked, "What you feel like for dinner?"

"I'm not sure," confessed Katia. "Just not one of those Grottos though."

Ashley laughed briefly but she tried to think about what was in the area that would suit them both.

"Wait." Katia inquisitively peered up at her friend. "Sara mentioned there's a restaurant here called The Frogg Pond."

The state trooper quickly fell into surprise. "And did Sara tell you what kind of restaurant it is?" For emphasis, her eyebrow lifted up.

Katia rolled her eyes. "Yes, it's lesbian." She shrugged. "So what? Do you have a problem with lesbians?"

Ashley could only laugh in response.

"Seriously, we should go there, Ash." Katia shifted her purse a little on her right shoulder then continued to talk. "Maybe we can find you a hot girl or two."

"That's the last thing I need… you hooking me up with somebody."

Katia's jaw dropped and she shot an offending look at her friend. "I have great taste." When Ashley didn't say anything back and remained very quiet, Katia couldn't take it. "At least I didn't date Laurel."

Ashley had a slew of comments going through her head and she finally decided on one. "And thank god I don't have Sara and Erin hanging all over me."

Katia laughed and nudged Ashley with her shoulder. "You're terrible. You know you like them."

"Like is stretching it, K." Ashley was purely teasing and she grinned at Katia.

Katia was chuckling and shaking her head. "I still don't know how I ended up with them in my life." She then laughed and added, "Or Mikie for that matter. My god if somebody three years ago told me I was going to befriend a gay guy, I'd laughed at them."

"Funny how that works huh?" Ashley noted they were coming onto the boardwalk and she made a right when they got up on the boardwalk. "Hey do you like the Candy Kitchen?"

"Oh god the word like doesn't even cover how much I'm obsessed with that store." Katia suddenly brightened with a huge smile now that she realized Rehoboth was known for Candy Kitchens. "We have to stop at one."

"Don't worry," promised Ashley, "we will."

Katia laughed and patted her stomach. "Belly aches here we go."

The state trooper laughed and now picked up the pace with a new mission set in her mind. She could almost taste the honeycomb and haystack candies especially made by Candy Kitchen. And maybe tonight she would end up at The Frogg Pond for dinner with her best friend. She'd already agreed with Katia's idea even though she didn't voice it. She figured it would be another perfect setting to test Katia yet something unsettling lingered in the pit of Ashley's stomach. She forced herself to ignore it for once because her mother was right, she couldn't hide Katia from everything nor would she continue to let Katia hide.

**To be continued.**


	19. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

Katia Danforth comfortably settled into her chair after just settling her purse on the floor. She caught the smile flashed at her from Ashley on the other side of the table. Katia leaned forward as a grin twisted her lips. "I saw all their heads turn."

Ashley smirked and picked up the menu in front of her. "I don't know what you're talkin' about, K."

The college student huffed and picked up her menu, the grin still played on her lips. "They don't call this place The Frogg Pond for nothing."

Ashley inquisitively peered over the rim of her menu.

Katia smirked and teased, "They all wanna hop on you, Ash."

The state trooper groaned and just returned her focus to the menu.

Katia snickered and was shaking her head as she studied the menu. "I think I've been hanging around Mikie too long."

"Why you say that?" Ashley didn't bother to look up but just listened.

"He always makes remarks like that."

Ashley chuckled, a small grin pulling at her face. "I think I want the crab cakes."

Katia's head shot up. "You can' be serious, Ash. In Delaware… crab cakes?"

The state trooper laughed and teased, "They're imported from Maryland."

"I hope so," muttered the younger woman.

"Good evening, ladies," greeted the server, a smile on her face. "I'm Stacey and what can I get you to drink?"

Ashley lifted an eyebrow at her best friend.

Katia took the hint and peeked up at the server. "A Coke will work."

Stacy smiled then looked in question at Ashley. "And you, honey?"

Katia bit her lower lip and forced herself to look at her menu.

Ashley had caught Katia's reaction be she refrained from doing anything. She merely looked up and asked, "Do you have Clipper City on tap?"

Stacy eased into a warm grin. "Of course. One of those?"

"Definitely," agreed Ashley. She then glanced at her best friend. "You want an appetizer?"

Katia had a mischief grin. "Nachos."

"Excellent choice," agreed the server and she gave Katia a wink. "I'll be back in a minute with your drinks."

After the server was out of earshot, Katia flopped her menu onto the table. "Honey?"

The state trooper completely ignored her friend but she nonchalantly asked, "Don't I look like a honey?"

Katia rolled her eyes and then returned to her menu.

"What you getting?" Ashley closed up her menu. "Peanut Butter and Jelly from the kids' menu?" She then received a drop dead look from her friend and Ashley had to laugh.

"I think the grilled tuna."

"I thought about that," considered the older woman.

"Instead you go with crab cakes made in Delaware." Katia shook her head in disbelief.

Ashley laughed and teased, "Is that a little state-ism I hear?"

Katia laughed then decided to make no comment, only a grin showed. "Well… I guess that's like going to Russia and ordering a crab cake."

Ashley heartedly laughed, fully amused by her friend. "Well no wonder I get weird looks when I order a burger at the Chinese take-out."

Katia shot a sceptic expression at her friend then laughed. "You would do that."

"I sure get a laugh out of all the looks I get for that order." Ashley's frame shook with a few silent laughs.

Katia contently sighed and leaned back into her chair. She started to gaze about the restaurant to get any idea about the type of people. She was find it quite intriguing and she made sure to remember it all. She jumped out of her reverie when the server returned with their drinks and appetizer.

"Do you gals know what you want for dinner?" Stacy had her scratch pad out and was waiting.

"Go ahead, K," offered the trooper, who was already toying with the nachos.

Katia picked up her menu as she said, "The grilled tuna for me."

The server took the menu as she asked, "What kind of vegetable? Broccoli, asparagus, or mixed?"

"Asparagus."

Stacy's head was bobbing as she finished writing then looked at Ashley.

Katia now took her turn with the loaded nachos.

"Crab cakes but hold the slaw."

The server laughed gently as she took Ashley's menu. "I'm not much for coleslaw either," she agreed. "Perhaps a vegetable?"

Ashley shook her head. "It'll leave room for dessert."

Stacy brightly smiled and purred, "I like that line of thinking."

Katia's attention quickly went to the server.

Stacy caught the motion and she winked at Katia. "I'm sure you do too." Without another word, she walked away.

Katia remained quiet and her mouth hung open.

Ashley was doing everything she could not to burst out laughing knowing she'd make a scene.

Katia blinked, finally shut her mouth, and turned her head to Ashley. "Did she just say…."

"Mmmmm." Ashley was biting her lips so hard and she thought maybe drinking some of her beer would distract her. She picked up her heavy glass of beer and started to drink.

"Well it's not like I don't like a mouthful of whip cream," joked Katia.

Ashley lurched forward and started choking on her beer. She slammed her glass down and covered her mouth in hopes to keep it all in.

Katia dropped her head back and laughed at her friend's reaction. She hadn't expected it to be that good.

"Katia Trind Danforth," Ashley hissed after getting her choking under control.

Katia settled some but her grin was wide and her eyes bright. She hadn't missed the fact either that Ashley had used her middle name, which very few people knew nor had she ever told Ashley.

Ashley raked her hands through her dark hair and shot a dangerous look at Katia. "You have been hanging around Mike too much."

Katia snickered. "You have to admit, it was good."

"Hmmm." Ashley took a small sip of her beer to easy her throat. She then decided to work on the nachos and Katia joined her. "When do you finish up for winter break?"

Katia considered it as she munched on a few nachos. "I think the sixteenth is the last day of exams."

"Have you picked out your classes for next semester?"

Katia shook her head. "They actually open registration when we get back from break." She took a quick drink of her soda then went back to the food. "I'll be a sophomore after this."

"You have enough credits?"

Katia nodded her head. "Yes, I'll be a sophomore by credits." She sighed and shook her head. "I'm just not sure what classes to take next semester."

"You should think about that, K." Ashley pulled a few nachos free, which caused the stack to lean to the left. "I know you're still doing general education."

"Pretty much but now I'm getting into the general eduction for my possible major." Katia sighed and shook her head. "I'm not sure what to get into."

"You like computers-"

"And art," quipped the young woman. "But I'm not sure I can do computer art."

"Why is that?" Ashley lifted an inquiring eyebrow. She took a moment to drink her beer.

"I'm not sure… I like art in the enjoyment sense not so much a life style." Katia shrugged and for a little while she was silent but then quietly spoke, "I enjoy math a lot, I'm good at math… I was thinking computer science."

Ashley perked up at the idea and grinned. "Cubical idea huh?"

Katia laughed and joked back, "Good money idea."

Ashley's head was bobbing as she finished munching on a cheesy nacho. "It's a place to start."

"It is," agreed the college student. "What about you?"

"Mmmm?" probed the state trooper, her face slightly squinted into confusion.

"If you go to college, what will you major in? Law?"

Ashley shrugged but seriously considered it while she fiddled with her beer mug. "Maybe psychology."

"Psychology, really?" Katia's lips spread into a warm grin. "I wouldn't have thought."

Ashley's had a lopsided grin but she said nothing and merely took a sip of her beer.

"I guess that makes sense," rambled on Katia, "a detective would have to understand the criminals."

The state trooper mutely nodded and let her friend just continue to talk.

"I mean I took a psychology class last semester and it all seems pretty common sense to me." Katia swirled her straw around in her dark fizzy soda. "The actual science and terms are confusing, I admit but the overall concept of understanding humans that's easy."

"Really?" probed Ashley. "But you like math?"

"I am good at it," agreed the college student, "but I love English… writing… art." She shrugged and the smile on Ashley's face made her smile too. "That doesn't mean I'm good at the arts."

Ashley softly chuckled and nodded. "I understand." She took a double cheesy stuck nacho and thoughtfully munched on it. After she swallowed it, she quietly stated, "I've never knew you wrote."

Katia quietly cleared her throat then nodded her head. "For some time now… I'm not big on sharing." She hesitantly peered up at her best friend; she clearly made out the understanding on Ashley's face. "A lot of poetry… some short stories."

Ashley's rare gentle smile shaped her lips as her face softened several levels. "I've been writing poetry since I was about thirteen maybe fifteen."

Katia stopped midway from getting a few nachos; her hand lowering to the table. "You've written poetry?"

Ashley had a faint grin but she nodded.

"I would love to read it," commented the younger woman.

The trooper gave a daring look and quietly offered, "Only if you share."

Katia sucked in her breath silently and held it as she debated with herself. "Alright," she whispered, "when we get back."

Ashley nodded and smiled as she went back to eating the appetizer. Her smile grew when Katia seemed to relax into the idea and a smile was on Katia's face too.

The server finally appeared with their entrees and they silently started to eat their meals. It was rather common place for Ashley and Katia to remain fairly quiet when they ate and tonight it was a warming silence between them. Ashley carefully watched how her friend seemed to keep studying the other customers and people at the bar. Occasionally Ashley even caught herself studying the women and particularly one at the bar. It wasn't until Ashley's third glance that she was clearly caught by the striking blond at the bar. Ashley hastily turned her stare away and focused on her food but it was too late, she'd made out that hungry grin on the blond's face.

Katia had her head down most of the time, just eating, however she'd seen what went on between them. She'd bitten her lower lip a few times between eating her food, which barely held back her comments. She was intrigued to what that blonde bombshell planned to do and saying anything would offset her best friend. Instead Katia lifted her head and gave a gentle smile to Ashley. "I'll be back." She started to stand while asking, "Watch my purse?"

Ashley merely nodded and her eyes flashed to Katia's purse near the leg of Katia's chair. As she chewed on her crab cake, her eyes followed Katia's form towards the bathroom. The second Katia was in the bathroom, Ashley's body tensed from the very bearing presence behind her. Then suddenly a strong but warm hand gently touched her left shoulder blade and Ashley tipped her head around to be greeted by a bright white smile.

"I'm Danielle," warmly introduced the tall blond.

Ashley Carver merely raised an eyebrow and was relieved when the woman's hand left her shoulder. "I'm Ashley."

Danielle's bright smiled somehow grew brighter and without permission, she took Katia's vacant seat. "Are you from around here?"

Ashley glanced at her almost empty plate then back at the other woman. "I'm originally from here."

Danielle leaned back into the chair and crossed her legs. "Me too."

Ashley smirked and Danielle seemed to take to the look because her smile twisted into a wicked grin.

"So Ashley, tell me," quietly spoked Danielle, "was that your girlfriend?" She leaned forward as her legs crossed.

Ashley chuckled and crossed her legs at her ankles under the table. "My best friend."

"Oooh… I see," whispered Danielle and she chuckled while resting both her elbows on her top leg. She started to lower her face to her hands as she spoke. "Are you single?"

The state trooper wrapped her hand around her beer and curiously gauged the blond. "Very single." She secretively smiled at the glowing light in Danielle's rich brown eyes.

Katia Danforth's eyes narrowed as she remained leaning against the frame of the bathroom entranceway. She'd ducked into the shadows when she'd came out of the bathroom and had remained there since so that she could watch this blonde bombshell. Katia had felt many things in her time but one feeling she rarely had and rarely consented to have but tonight Danielle enflamed it worse than Laurel ever had done.

Katia's jaw locked tighter when Danielle's hand left her face and found its way to Ashley's leg. Uncharacteristically Katia's fingers were rolling up and her hands firmly held into fists but Katia's breathing was still level.

Ashley grew a little surprised by the other lesbian's daring attempts. Then something caught her eye and she briefly glanced over to the bathroom hallway, her sharp sight just made out Katia's small form. She quickly looked away as if she didn't know any better but her desire to understand Katia kicked in at that point. So Ashley Carver finally gave one of her warmest smiles to Danielle and purred, "I take it you're single."

"I'm whatever you want me to be," teased Danielle and she squeezed Ashley's knee tightly. "Perhaps you're in the area for awhile, Ashley?"

"I am," agreed the state trooper. She lifted her beer and after her quick drink, she lowered her mug. "How about yourself?"

"I'm here for a few days before I go home." Danielle shrugged and added, "Family Thanksgiving, you know."

"Oh do I," joked the trooper, "I'm visiting family too."

"Really?" prompted Danielle. "Where abouts?"

"Harbeson."

Danielle's face suddenly lit up. "I'm near by… I'm in Millsboro." She finally leaned back and removed her hand from Ashley's knee. "Maybe we could get together sometime."

Ashley silently cleared her throat as she debated on how to respond but before she could do so, her attention was grabbed by a small hand on her shoulder.

"Sorry I took so long… honey," murmured Katia, her voice gentle yet her words tight.

Danielle's expression slowly fell when Ashley's petname registered in her mind. "Oh this must be your chair," she hastily apologized and shot up.

Katia urged her fake smile onto her face and lifted her head up and up until her eyes met Danielle's face. "It would be mine." She squeezed her best friend's shoulder then stepped up to the tall blond bombshell, her hand coming out. "Hi, I'm Katia."

Danielle had a smile again but it was much less sincere. "I am Danielle… or Dani."

Katia's hand was taken into a limp handshake but Katia gave a firm shake. "Nice to meet you." She glanced down at Ashley, who wasn't looking at either of them and then Katia peered back up at Danielle. "I see you've met Ashley."

"I did and… I actually have to be going," hastily offered Danielle. She took a step to her right but peered down at Ashley. "Nice to meet you, Ashley."

The state trooper finally lifted her head and gave an apologetic smile. "You too, Danielle."

Danielle sadly smiled and merely gave a nod to Katia before rushing off.

Katia silently took her seat and she noted how Ashley really wasn't looking at her.

Ashley kept her attention away from Katia, never said anything, and merely took drinks of her remaining beer. Her mind was racing to process what had just happened between her, Katia, and Danielle. She knew as soon as she stepped out of the Frogg Pond restaurant that she would have something to say to Katia.

**To be Continued.**


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 19**

Katia remained rather tense in the passenger's seat and mainly because her friend had yet to say a single word. She tried to distract herself from the tension by staring out the window and watching the passing store fronts on main street.

Ashley gripped her steering wheel a little tighter than needed but she kept herself sedated. She'd finally concluded how to approach this topic with her best friend without dropping too many bombs. She knew she couldn't avoid upsetting Katia so she'd come to accept the fact that there was just no easy way.

When Ashley drove out of the Rehoboth area and took the road down to Harbeson, she felt ready to talk to Katia. After she set the cruise control, she relaxed back into her chair.

Katia chewed on the inside of her mouth some. She finally turned her head away from the side window and now stared out the front one.

"If you didn't want her to hit on me then why did you purposely leave to let her?"

Katia sighed and glanced at her friend, who wasn't looking at her at all. "I didn't know, Ashley."

The state trooper flashed a trying look at her friend. "Bullshit, Katia."

Katia folded her arms over her chest, her stubborn streak already coming to life. "I saw you looking at her, Ashley… I figured you wanted to talk to her."

"If I was that interested I would have gone up to her," cut in Ashley. "And when she does approach me, you come back to scare her off." She sucked in a heavy breath and darkly looked at Katia. "Why?"

Katia refused to answer by turning her head around, looking back out the passenger window.

Ashley held back her frustrated growl and let it go for awhile longer. She'd get her answer one way or another but she wouldn't do it when she was getting angry. When they came to Pinewater Road she decided to try again but from a straight forward route. "Why were you jealous, Katia?"

"I was not jealous," shot back the tense young woman. "Why the hell would I be jealous?"

Ashley pulled into her mother's driveway and went around the stone circle to the parking area. "Why don't you tell me?" She grabbed the gear handle on the console and slammed it into the parking position.

Katia was already unbuckling her seatbelt and saying, "Because there's nothing to tell, Ashley. So just leave it alone." Without another word, Katia threw open the door, got out, and harshly slammed it shut.

Ashley was just as fast as she turned off her Mercedes and leapt out of the car. "I don't think so, Katia." She shoved the car key away into her pocket as she slammed the door. "I am tired of this bullshit."

Katia glared across the roof of the car. "What bullshit is that, huh?"

The state trooper took a deep breath and she quickly moved around the front of the car to Katia's side. "I'm tired of you hiding, Katia," she gently explained. "Aren't you?"

"I'm not hiding anything," hissed Katia and she stepped back but Ashley grabbed her by the wrist.

"Yes you are, Katia."

Katia's expression grew darker and she snapped, "And what's that Detective Carver?" When her comment caused a hurt look on Ashley's face, Katia broke free of Ashley's contact and started to walk off.

Ashley ran her hand through her hair and called out, "It is okay to be yourself, Katia."

Katia stopped dead and the stones under her feet rolled and crunched under her weight. She looked back over at Ashley from her shoulder. "No it's not, Ashley… haven't you figured that out yet?"

The state trooper shook her head and slowly made her way to her friend's side. "You don't think I understand what's going on here, K?" She grasped her best friend's shoulders. "Don't you think I was scared to lose my family too? I had a hard enough time understanding what was going on with me when it happened."

Katia turned away from the older woman when she heard the confession. She tried to pretend that she didn't understand Ashley's connotations but she clearly did.

Ashley sighed and her fingertips touched under Katia's chin so that she could turn Katia's face back to her. "Katia, you are who you are… accept that and be happy." She dipped her head down closer to Katia's when she saw Katia closed her eyes. "I denied the fact too that I was attracted to women. Don't you think I've had the thoughts of wanting to just be normal so I can fit in?" Ashley moved her hand from Katia's face and now brushed back loose strands of blond hair. "It's not easy, Katia but it does get better when you accept yourself."

Katia felt the burning in her throat and the sting in her eyes but she controlled her emotions just enough. She finally opened her eyes and were met by concerned blue ones. "Ashley, it doesn't matter who I am." She breathed heavily and placed her hands on Ashley's waist for support. "I will lose my family if I were to…." She dropped her head and shook it. "I can't lose them, Ashley."

"So you're going to destroy yourself?" countered the state trooper. "What is your life worth living if you can't be yourself? You can't control who you are, Katia."

"No… I can't," slowly agreed the young woman. She lifted her head again to capture Ashley's gaze. "But I can control who I am with, who I sleep with… who I live with."

Ashley felt her stomach turnover but she controlled her disgust for Bobby. "You can't control who you love, Katia." To further her point, Ashley lowered her head closer to Katia's so that their lips almost met and she noted the instant sharp intake of air from Katia.

Katia pushed away and stepped back a few times as if she'd been stung. She had the most confused yet hurt look on her face when she focused on Ashley. She said nothing as the burning tears finally rolled down her cheeks, she turned and quickly went into the house.

Ashley growled after the side door shut. She fisted and unfisted her hands a few times as she walked over to her car. "Well that didn't go exactly as planned, girl." She motioned at the red car and approached the trunk, she leaned against it as she considered her talk.

She knew in truth it was only a matter of time before Katia gave into her desires and heart. At the same time, Ashley was concerned how it'd happen for Katia and she wanted it to as easy as possible. She knew she'd have better luck reaching Katia than any of Katia's friends. She just didn't know how much and how long it would take but maybe tonight's talk was just enough of a push.

After a few more decisions, Ashley pushed off her car and headed for the door. She already knew her mom was home but probably in her room resting so she felt no need to bother her. Lucus was most likely out catching up with old classmates from high school so it'd be several hours before he'd show up. And right now, Ashley was too exhausted to do anything but go to her room and zone out in front of her television.

Once getting settled into her bed with a teeshirt on and pair of shorts on, Ashley turned on her television and curled up under the covers. Her body warmed up the sheets comfortably and she'd decided on the Discovery Channel since they were having the FBI Files on tonight. She'd never admit she enjoyed this show and only secretly watched it when she was home alone. After the first thirty minutes, she started to drift off already but the quiet knocking on her door pulled her awake.

"Yeah," softly called Ashley. She lifted her head when the person came in and her heart sank when she saw how red Katia's eyes were from crying. She immediately sat up and since her bed was close to the door, she was able to capture Katia's hands. "Come here," she whispered.

Katia didn't fight her friend as she was pulled into the warm bed and under the covers. She wedged tightly into Ashley's body and arms as she felt her body warm against Ashley's.

Ashley settled the blankets back over both of them and tucked Katia's head under her chin. She murmured, "It'll be okay, Katia."

Katia automatically buried her head deeper into Ashley's neck and started crying again. She tightly clung to her best friend as she mumbled, "I don't want to hide anymore."

The state trooper just made out the words, she had to be sure. She pulled back some and brought her head closer to Katia's. "You don't want to hide?"

Katia shook her head and quietly whimpered as she dug back into Ashley's body.

"You don't have to anymore," whispered Ashley, her left hand running up and down Katia's back. "It'll be okay… promise." She kissed the top of Katia's head. "I'm here for you, K always."

***

Katia pushed her back closer against Ashley and Ashley's arms instantly tightened around her. That made Katia smile as she continued to watch the show on tv. Her thoughts went back to their earlier conversation this morning and it made her chuckle.

Ashley raised an eyebrow from behind and she quietly asked, "What?"

The young woman grinned and teased, "I still can't believe you watch the FBI Files."

"And don't tell anybody," reminded the state trooper.

Katia smirked and said nothing as she watched 

Ashley smiled to herself as she went back to watching the television. She was quite content despite her and Katia hadn't spoke about last night's conversation. She knew that would come later on but this morning she was content to hold her best friend like she always wanted to in time's past. She'd noticed too that Katia refused to put any space between them as they laid in bed together ever since last night. Ashley didn't plan on arguing either.

When the movie was over, Katia reached for the remote in front of her and turned the television off. Ashley readied herself for a serious talk when Katia rolled over to face her. Katia was staring at Ashley's neck briefly then lifted her eyes to Ashley's face.

"When did you figure out you were gay?"

Ashley breathed deeply as she formed the correct answer in her mind. "I just didn't figure it out one day, K." She freed one hand from Katia's hip and brushed back golden locks of hair from Katia's face. "I started to realize it when I was fourteen and it took a good… six years to figure out what I wanted."

"You said you've been with guys," curiously mentioned the young woman.

"Dated," corrected Ashley, "I've never sexually been with a guy."

Katia's expression shifted into surprise and she blinked a few times. "I thought…."

"You assumed," teased Ashley but she went serious again. "I've dated guys off and on at rare occasions because I wanted to understand myself better." She shrugged. "I couldn't get turned on by men… the heterosexual thing just never worked for me."

Katia chuckled and sadly smiled at that. "I can understand that," she murmured. "What about your family?" Her voice shook with caution and curiosity. "I can tell your mom and brother both know."

"They do," agreed Ashley. "My entire family knows and mostly everybody accepts it."

"Mostly?"

The state trooper nodded then further explained herself. "Thomas pretty much accepts it but still has a hard time here and there with it." She paused then quietly added, "My father doesn't accept it at all and just denies that I am… some phase I'm still working through."

Katia snorted because she'd guess that's what her father's reasoning would be too. "Have you talked to him about it?"

"I try," admitted Ashley, "but he either changes the topic or walks away." She shrugged. "What can I do? I have tried and it's in his hands now."

Katia mutely nodded.

The older woman dipped her head down some. She captured Katia's gaze and quietly added, "It won't be easy, Katia but I'll be there to help."

"How long did it take you to accept it?" whispered Katia.

Ashley held her breath as she calculated her time. "Awhile… I've had ten years so far to get use to this." She focused on her best friend again. "I think it took me a good three years to accept myself."

Katia absorbed all the information and she rolled on her back. As she stared at the ceiling, she gently ran her left hand up and down Ashley's closest arm. She turned her head to Ashley and stated, "When I get back I'm going to break up with Bobby."

Every alarm sounded in Ashley's head and her body instantly tensed. She quickly sat up and pulled her friend up with her. She noted the surprised look on Katia's face but she disregarded it. "Katia, don't rush this at all."

"Ashley, I'm not… I've been debating this for awhile now and I don't mean just this morning." Katia twined her hands through Ashley's and quietly spoke, "I want to be with you, Ashley."

Ashley's mind froze when she heard Katia's declaration then suddenly she was slammed by reminders of what will happen to Katia if she broke up from Bobby. She had to balance her role as state trooper and best friend without jeopardizing Katia's life. "Katia-"

"You were right," softly cut in Katia, "I can't control who I love."

Ashley sighed and squeezed her friend's hands. "I know," she assured, "but you can't move too quickly, Katia."

"I'm not asking you to marry me," joked Katia. "I'm just saying I want to break up from Bobby." She shrugged and added, "It's not fair on anybody. I'm not interested in him, I'm interested...." Katia took a heavy breath in and finished her sentence. "Interested in you, Ash." She squeezed Ashley's larger hands. "You've known this."

"Yes I have," agreed the trooper, "but you just need to take this slowly." She freed her right hand and pulled back some of her midnight hair that was irritating her. After she recaptured her friend's hand, she continued to talk. "You just got over one hurdle and there's no need to rush anything. I will be here when the time is right."

"I know," muttered Katia, her head fallen forward for a minute but then she lifted it back up. "I just don't understand why I need to stay with him."

"So you can take some time to clearly think this through," recommended the older woman. "Make sure this is the right decision and what you want to do." She paused then further closed the issue by saying, "You don't need to rush into anything and make a mistake."

Katia slightly shook her head because she still wasn't sure yet. Then Ashley's hand under her chin made her look up again.

"Just… trust me on this, K," mildly begged the state trooper. "Please?"

Katia considered it for a moment then she nodded her head. "I will… I'll think about everything."

"Thank you," whispered Ashley, "there's a lot to consider." She lifted her right hand that was held by Katia's and she gently pressed her lips against Katia's hand. As she lowered their hands, she quietly added, "I'm always here, K."

Katia nodded her head and despite how much was ahead of her she already felt better. She knew a lot of that had to do with having Ashley by her side. And for once, she didn't feel disgusted with herself when she felt her emotions for Ashley stir certain desires in her.

**To be continued.**


	21. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

Ashley briefly glanced over at her best friend in the passenger seat. She quickly took in the distant expression on her friend's face and could only wonder what ran through Katia's mind. She returned her attention to her driving on the four lane highway of Route 1. It was only fifteen minutes past ten in the morning and it was fairly beautiful outside, only puff clouds here and there. It was this type of weather that let Ashley enjoy driving, no matter where.

It was now the twenty-eighth and Thanksgiving dinner had come and gone for the Carvers and Katia. The dinner last night had been filling and the family was warm. Ashley's lips slowly spread into a smile as she recalled her niece and nephew playing with Katia until late into the night. Her young niece, Katie, had begged Katia to for a story before Thomas left with them. Ashley wasn't sure how Katie knew Katia could tell stories but Katie was quite positive Katia could do it. And after a few whines and pouty looks, Katie won out and with some hidden confidence Katia was able to tell a story in front of the Carvers.

Thanksgiving dinner had been one of the most memorable ones for Ashley. She knew it was in part because of her family and a lot to do with Katia's presences. Ashley had begun to realize Katia's presences seemed to sooth her family, especially Thomas. He was never accepting of any female that Ashley brought, friend or not. It was determined in his mind that any female that Ashley was around, she most likely sleeping with. Thomas's constricting judgement had sent Ashley and Thomas into many fights in past times and moments when they simply didn't acknowledge each other. For whatever reason, Thomas seemed much more at ease with Katia; he spoke to her, listen to her, and laughed with her. Ashley had carefully watched them and it calmed many of the old, stinging wounds under her skin.

Today though Katia and Ashley had taken an early start to their day and decided to visit Katia's family. First though, Ashley had decided that she should stop in to see her father since he lived close by Chestertown, Maryland. The thought of visiting him made Ashley's muscle tense up and her blood pump a little faster. She had to always mentally prepare herself for visits with him, despite how short the visits were they always had an impact on her.

Katia sighed and that snapped Ashley back to the present, which she was thankful. She glanced over at her small friend and offered a smile.

Katia slightly smiled back and it was obvious by her expression that she'd been thinking long and hard about something.

"Dover isn't that much further."

Katia nodded at her friend. "It shouldn't be." She quickly scanned the area around them so she could pinpoint their location on Route 1. "Another thirty minutes, I think."

The state trooper mutely agreed to the assessment.

"What's your father like?" quietly asked Katia.

Ashley didn't answer right away as she mulled over the idea. Thoughts of her father created a heavy rock in her stomach but she tried to break it apart so it wouldn't hinder her mood. "He's a little like yours," she finally admitted.

Katia's expression went from questioning to completely curious.

Ashley didn't need any spoken questions to know what was running through her friend's mind. "He likes to tell me how to live my life."

Katia chuckled and leaned back into her seat again. "I think almost every father is like that."

"Any parent," corrected the trooper.

"True," quietly agreed Katia. "But it's different when it's a little more extreme."

Ashley merely nodded her head as she kept Katia's words to the back of her head. "My father lives just outside of Galena."

"Where abouts?" inquired Katia, her face slightly scrunched up. "On Route 213?"

Ashley shook her head. "You know 313? He's about a mile just outside of Galena."

Katia still had that scrunched expression. "You mean just past that flower shop?"

Ashley grinned and nodded. "You got it."

"Sweet," murmured the college student. "You think we'll stay long?"

The state trooper shook her head. "I don't like... visiting for too long."

Katia's lips puckered a little but she turned her head around. "I can understand." Both she and Ashley fell silent for the rest of the ride and listened to the alternative music playing in the car. It was technically a long ride but Katia was use to it and it wasn't long before they were cruising up 301, the Eastern Shore byway into mid Delaware.

***

Ashley forced a smile onto her face as she was enveloped into a strong hug from her father.

"It's good to see you, Ashlinn."

That was another thing Ashley couldn't stand, being called her proper name by her father.

"How have you been?" gently asked Ashley as she stepped out of his embrace.

Mr. Carver smiled. "Very well." His dark brown eyes then flickered to Katia, who stood behind Ashley's towering form. He carefully noted how the young woman curiously watched him and his daughter as if taking mental notes. He was curious as to what mental notes she just might be taking.

Ashley realized she hadn't introduced her friend so she half turned on the patio step and held her hand out to Katia. "This is my best friend, father. Katia Danforth."

Mr. Carver stepped forward from beside his daughter and held out his hand.

Katia didn't hesitate to step up to the man and clasp his hand. She briskly shook and shined a bright smile. "It's nice to meet you, sir."

"It's Jonathan Carver but please call me John," offered the older man. After he released Katia's small hand, he looked to his daughter. "Can you stay long?"

"Not too long," replied the state trooper.

"Come inside," urged Jonathan. He pulled open his wood door and went inside with the young women following.

Katia was the last inside and she slightly smiled as the first entered the living room. She was signalled, by Ashley, to take a seat with her on a small love sofa.

Mr. Carver though took his usual leather chair from across them. As he settled into it, all the air quietly whooshed out of the leather and he sunk deep into it. "How is everything, Ashlinn?"

Ashley cleared her throat some and nodded her head. "Rather busy." She paused then gently asked, "I've actually moved from Baltimore."

Mr. Carver nodded as his hands lanced together in his lap. "That's what your brother told me."

Ashley knew immediately that it was Lucus's doing since it was rare for Thomas to talk to him.

"He said you're in Salisbury now," cut in Mr. Carver's deep, grounding voice. "I can't believe it's much better than Baltimore."

"The crime is fairly high," quietly admitted Ashley.

Katia remained quiet and still as she watched the exchange.

"I believe it's more the drug problem." Jonathan lifted an eyebrow as emphasis.

"It is something the department is facing." Ashley kept her voice firm, an underlying warning to her father not to pursue the topic. "How is work?"

"Extremely busy," replied Jonathan. "I've taken on a few more clients because we are so busy."

Ashley turned her head to Katia. "Father is stock investment advisor at ING… in Wilmington, Delaware."

"You must do well," commented Katia.

Mr. Carver nodded and a thin smile curled his lips. "I have good clients and I have time to watch stock."

Katia slightly chuckled just to humour him more than anything.

Jonathan Carver focused back on his daughter. "Will you be continuing with your trooper job?"

Ashley resist her faint growl, she swallowed it back down because it would only cause trouble. She kept her expression indifferent. "Of course, father. "

Katia noted how clipped the response was and she knew it was because Ashley's job meant so much to her. For Ashley to feel any disrespect to her position as a state trooper would certainly flare her temper.

"Ashlinn, I thought we discussed the idea of going into law." Mr. Carver's hand slightly waved in the air before it fell back to his lap. "Hopefully at UMD."

Ashley shook her head. "Yes we have, Dad but as I told you, I'm not going to practice law."

Jonathan Carver sighed and resisted from rolling his eyes. "You merely want to enforce it, yes I've heard." He sighed and now drummed his right fingers on his chair arm. "You need to become more than that, Ashlinn."

Ashley let out a heavy sigh and glanced at the floor space between them before she peered up again. "Maybe some time," was all she was willing to give him.

Jonathan knew it was nothing at all but he settled with it for now. He didn't want to shake Ashley too hard since there was a guest among them. He then refocused onto Katia, a new smile on his face. "And what do you do, Katia?"

"I go to SU… I'm a freshman there."

Mr. Carver slightly tensed but just enough for Ashley to pick up on it. He relaxed just as quickly and warmly asked, "What's your major?"

"I'm between majors." Katia lifted her left leg and crossed it over her right. "I enjoy computers so I'm between computer art and computer science."

"Quite different areas," acknowledged the older man. "One requires a sense of creativity and the other is very logical."

Katia only nodded her agreement, not sure what else to say to him. She was slightly relieved when he went back to talking to Ashley. She listened and on occasions jumped her opinion into the conversation. Later on, Mr. Carver got onto the topic of Thanksgiving just yesterday.

"It was very nice." Ashley raised an eyebrow at her friend for help.

Katia quickly nodded. "It was… probably the best I've had in a long time."

"I was by myself," gently admitted Mr. Carver, "but I thought of my children."

Ashley's hands were on her lap and she ran her nails down the lines of corduroy to help ease her. "The kids are well," she spoke up.

Mr. Carver actually smiled at that information. "I can't believe how old Katie and Ben are."

"Ben's birthday is next month," reminded Ashley. "I'm sure Thomas and Anna will be up here with the kids."

"Yes, always in December," agreed Mr. Carver. "I wouldn't mind if you and Lucus were here too."

Ashley actually had a sincere smile because it was the first time she'd been invited. "I'd like that… I'm sure Lucus would too."

Jonathan had a mixed smile and grin as he absorbed his daughter's happiness. "Well then we will have to have a feast. I am sure Jolene will be here as well."

Katia curiously tilted her head at the new name.

Ashley had noted the subtle tilt but she chose not to answer Katia. "How is she doing?"

"Very well," replied Mr. Carver.

"You two are…." Ashley cleared her throat a little and repeated herself. "You and Jolene are doing well?"

"She's a lovely gal," merely replied Jonathan. His eyes fell to his lap then gradually rose up. "How is your mother?"

"Mother is well… she loved Thanksgiving."

Mr. Carver smiled but his eyes were full of sadness. "Your mother always did love these holidays."

Ashley chuckled some yet released a heavy sigh. "Family time."

"Very much so," agreed Mr. Carver. "How is her restaurant?"

"Incredibly busy." Ashley stole a quick glance at her quiet friend. "Mother seems happy with the business though." Then a wicked grin eased over her lips. "She still loves all the local gossip."

Jonathan instantly laughed and shook his head in amusement. "Your mother always had to be in the circle."

"Well I'd say her restaurant is the centre of gossip, father."

Jonathan's chest vibrated with a few silent laughs; the most pleased expression on his face. "I wasn't that far behind her in those days."

Ashley huffed as she tapped her knee two times. "She dragged you into it."

"And I went screaming and kicking," joked Mr. Carver.

Ashley's eyes were briefly lit up from old but warm memories of her parents.

"Do you recall that one incident that one couple pulled over?' Jonathan Carve had smirked but his brown eyes swirled like rich chocolate.

Ashley had a bright smile as the old memory came back to her. She turned her head to her quiet friend and told the story. "There was this husband and wife who'd recently had a little boy." After Katia's nod of understanding, Ashley went on. "It was a big deal in the town because the couple had waited several years before having a child. So they'd announced that this was their first and last child because they didn't think they could handle more than one." She paused as she tried to put the story in order. "It was about three maybe four months after the wife had her son when she'd came up mother's restaurant. She was up at the counter and mother was serving her some coffee; they were just chit-chatting." Ashley then paused and turned her head to her father, her right eyebrow neatly arched up.

Jonathan Carver took the hint and smiled at Katia. "During their conversation the wife accidentally told Mrs. Carver that she was pregnant again."

Katia felt a tiny grin tug at her lips at the way Mr. Carver purred out "accidentally" in his story.

"The wife begged Mrs. Carver not to tell anybody because she hadn't even mentioned it to her husband. She'd just found out yesterday about her pregnancy and hadn't told her husband yet because he was away on a trip for work." Mr. Carver paused and cleared his throat as his hands laced together. "Mrs. Carver repeatedly promised not to mention anything to anybody." He then released his right hand and held up his right index finger. "However as soon as the wife left the restaurant Mrs. Carver hastily told everybody the news."

Katia started to giggle; she could imagine Mrs. Carver doing exactly that. She then felt a warm hand on her left knee so her head whipped around, her eyes focused on the blue ones looking down at her.

"After about five days the husband shows up in the restaurant. He goes up to the bar, sits in the same stool his wife sat down in, orders the same cup of coffee, and asks mother about the latest town news." Ashley chuckled and squeezed Katia's knee more. "Without missing a beat, mother blurts out congratulations about the new child on the way."

Katia broke out laughing as she saw the scene acted out in her mind. But her laughing is soothed by Ashley's story continuing.

"The husband stared blankly at her as mother realized at what she'd just said. Mother apologized repeatedly and the husband was laughing hysterically so much that mother was dumbfounded and speechless." Ashley quietly laughed a few times then finished off the story. "The husband explained that it was just a joke to see how well mother could keep a secret. He said he was impressed how it only took twenty-four hours for the entire town to find out about his wife's pregnancy." 

Katia shook her head as several more laughs escaped her. "Mrs. Carver would do that."

"Mother is a terrible gossip." Ashley smiled as she straightened up and pulled her hand away.

"She always has been," agreed Mr. Carver, "except when it comes to her own family."

"That is true." Ashley laced her hands together. "Mother does not talk about her own family."

"And if she heard anything negative she snubbed out the rumours," added Mr. Carver.

Katia curiously consider that but she accepted the fact that Mrs. Carver was a mother dedicated to her family, especially her children. "I liked your mom a lot," she gently mentioned to her best friend.

Ashley said nothing but she winked and returned her focus to her father. She continued to talk with him for a few more hours. Katia mainly listened, her opinion jumping into play here and there. She was more interested in the chemistry between Ashley and Mr. Carver; where things mixed or separated. She'd decided Mr. Carver was unhappy with Ashley's choice of carrier and most likely lifestyle. Yet underneath it all, Katia could pick up some undertones of pride that he seemed to have for Ashley. In the end, Katia wasn't completely sure why Mrs. Carver had divorced him and she'd have to ask Ashley about it some time later.

***

Katia tried not to sink into her seat as Ashley's car rolled into the gravel driveway. She had to keep herself ridged and act like nothing had changed since last time she'd seen her family.

The state trooper had seen Katia's distress so she grasped her friend's closest leg. "It'll be fine, huh?"

Katia sighed but she nodded; she straightened up and tried to be determined. "I think we're just in time for dinner."

"It was a good thing you called ahead," mentioned Ashley as she shut off her car. She'd parked beside a large Dodge Durango much like the one she drove for work. "What time did her mom say dinner would be?"

Katia had her hand on the silver door handle but she hesitated. "Seven-thirty." She glanced at her watch and realized they were thirty minutes early.

"Just enough time to introduce me," joked Ashley.

Katia half grinned and shot back, "And quiz you."

Ashley threw open her door but without one last remark. "Let's hope I pass." She got out and listened to her friend getting out too. She immediately went to the trunk of her car and popped it open so they could get their bags out for the night. "Just one night?" she teased.

Katia sighed while she was hefting her bag's strap over her shoulder. "Just one, Ash… that's all I can handle."

"Me too," teased Ashley. She slammed the hood and started for the front door.

Katia heavily sighed, shook her head, and hurried after her best friend. There was no way she was letting Ashley go into the fiery depths alone. She jumped up the last step, ahead of Ashley, and grabbed the door knob before Ashley. She pushed it open and stepped into the familiar surroundings of the lobby room; the grand pinewood steps ahead of her leading upstairs glowed from the low lit lights. She turned her head to the left where there was an open doorway; she heard soft footsteps. She instantly knew it was her mother's footsteps.

"Katia?" softly spoke a rich voice.

Katia couldn't help her smile at seeing her mother's aged yet beautiful face. "Hi, mom." She dropped her yellow bag onto the wood floor and went into her mother's waiting arms.

Ashley bit her lip at the cute scene of mother and daughter hugging. She had a good look now at Mrs. Danforth's face, which was shaped a lot like Katia's. However Katia certainly did not get her blond hair from her mother because Mrs. Danforth's hair was an elegant twist of silver and black. Ashley straightened up a little when they released and Katia turned to her.

"Mom…." Katia put her arm around her mother's waist and led her closer to Ashley. "This is my best friend, Ashley Carver."

Mrs. Danforth held out her hand, a pleasant smile on her lips but her eyes were questioning.

Ashley took the small hand and briskly held it.

"Ash, this is my mom Cecelia Danforth."

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Danforth," offered Ashley Carver.

Mrs. Danforth nodded as she ended the hand shake. "It's a pleasure to have you here, Ashley."

"Thank you, ma'am." Ashley adjusted the strap over her right shoulder. She then sensed the presence of another person.

Katia had picked up on it too and warmed a smile to her face at seeing her father coming from the other doorway on the opposite side of the lobby. "Hey, Dad." She released her mother and went to him for a strong hug.

Mr. Danforth held onto his eldest daughter for a long time and pulled back but made sure to give her a kiss on the cheek. "I'm glad to see you." His arms went back to his side; his eyes flickered to his wife then back to Katia. "Your mother and I have missed you."

"I've missed everybody too," quickly agreed Katia, and she had she realized. Despite the stress her family could create in her she knew she deeply loved them and needed them in her life. She wasn't willing to lose them to anything. "How have you been?"

"Very well," replied Mr. Danforth. "How has your break been?"

"Exactly, Poppa."

Mr. Danforth then turned his head, his eyes directly locked on Ashley Carver. "I see you've brought a guest."

Katia resisted the small chill- she faced Ashley. "I'd like you to meet my friend, Dad."

Mr. Danforth took the invite and approached the tall, dark woman with his daughter at his side. "I am Hendrick Danforth." His right hand came out.

Ashley had already looked the small man up and down but her focus was on his well engineered face. "Ashley K. Carver, sir." She briskly accepted his handshake as she studied his rich mossy green eyes.

Mr. Danforth's eyes softened into amusement. "Sir huh?" He released Ashley's hand. "You don't hear that often unless the person is either raised properly or they're in the service."

Ashley's lip curled up. "Both, sir."

Mr. Danforth rested his arms by his side but his head tilted much in the way Katia would do. "It's fine to see somebody raised on good standards." He paused then asked, "Army, navy, or air force?"

Ashley once again had to straighten out her duffle bag's strap on her shoulder. "Army, sir."

"Ashley is also a state trooper."

Both parents looked at Katia in mild surprise then gazed back at the tall trooper.

"What is your position in the force?"

Ashley cleared her throat then stated her title. "First sergeant, sir."

Mr. Danforth approvingly nodded and his first but small smile softened his granite face. "Call me Hendrick."

Ashley dipped her head; her body eased out some tension.

"Why don't you go upstairs, Katia."

Katia looked at her mother after picking up her yellow bag. "Is the guestroom still there?"

"Of course." Mrs. Danforth smiled at Ashley. "You may stay there for the evening."

"Thank you, ma'am."

"Make sure you say hello to your sister," spoke Mrs. Danforth to Katia. "Introduce Ashley to her."

"I will, Mom." Katia took a step closer to the staircase but her father's words halted her.

"Your mother decided to hold Thanksgiving tonight, Katia. So I hope you haven't eaten much today."

Katia almost groaned aloud at the idea of eating turkey again. "No, Poppa. We just had breakfast so we're both starved." She then raised an eyebrow at Ashley much like Ashley would have done, her imitation almost the same. And Ashley had to admit it was a fairly sexy look on Katia.

"Thanksgiving dinner is my favourite," spoke the trooper to both parents.

"Well I am glad to hear that," agreed Mrs. Danforth. "It'll be another thirty minutes." She then realized she needed to get back to the meal if she intended to keep that time. "If you'll excuse me."

Katia cleared her throat to grab Ashley's attention back. "Come on, Ash." She was now at the base of the steps.

Ashley quietly followed after her friend.

Hendrick remained at in the lobby and listened to the very distinct set of footfall going upstairs. He slid his hands into his pockets and walked back through the doorway he'd first entered from earlier.

Katia stopped at the guestroom first and pushed open the door. "This is your room."

Ashley followed in and took in the comfy surroundings. She was grateful for the double size bed since it meant she could spread out tonight. "Thanks, K." She tossed her bag onto the bed. "Where's your room?"

"Right across the hall." Katia spun around and marched across the small hallway. She threw open her door and smiled at her old bedroom since childhood. She also tossed her bag onto her single bed and smiled about the standard size room. She raised an eyebrow at her black desktop computer on the desk by her window. She then glanced left at her television on top of the stand that also housed her VCR and small stereo. "Nothing has changed," she muttered. She rotated on the balls of her feet and said, "Let's meet my sis."

Ashley grinned and backed out of the room. She then followed Katia to the end of the hallway where the last door was.

Katia knocked a few times and when she heard her sister's voice, she pushed open the door. "I left you in that same spot when I went to college, Lisa."

Lisa spun around in her desk chair and brightened at seeing her sister. "Kat, you're home." She smiled and bounced out of her chair, leaving her online chat friends to wonder what happened. "How are you doing?" she asked between hugs.

Ashley had picked up on the nickname that Lisa used and wondered how Katia took to it. She realized that Lisa really looked a lot more like Mrs. Danforth except instead of brown eyes she had blue ones, which was out of character. She then considered may be one of the grandparents on either side had blue eyes.

"Hey Lisa, meet my best friend Ashley Carver."

Lisa had already laid eyes on the never-ending tall cop. "Hey I'm Lisa." She offered a handshake, which was returned to her. "God you're tall," teased Lisa, "What are you? A cop?"

Katia instantly laughed.

"A state trooper," cleared up Ashley.

Lisa blinked and her jaw slacked down. She grabbed her older sister's shoulder. "She's kidding right?"

Katia settled her giggling and shook her head. "Nope. She's a Maryland State Trooper."

Lisa glared at her sister. "You would bring a cop home."

Ashley instantly folded her arms.

"You goody-two-shoes," further tormented Lisa.

Katia folded her arms over her chest and gave her best serious look. "Ashley is here to give you your own personal class on D.A.R.E"

Lisa eyed her sister and tried to gauge just how serious the threat was on her. "I don't think so."

Ashley cleared her throat and tried to remain serious. "I brought along my breathalyser."

Lisa actually laughed and shook her head. "That would not surprise me." She ambled over to her desk chair and flopped into it. "So you're really a cop huh?"

Ashley dropped her act and merely nodded.

Katia shifted closer to her best friend and grabbed her closest wrist.

Ashley was tugged down to sit on the foot of the bed beside Katia.

"What kind of cop are you?" inquired Lisa, her expression actually curious.

"I'm a sergeant."

Lisa grinned. "That's cool." She then studied her sister as if trying to read her. Then she looked back at Ashley, her expression incredibly serious. "Whatever my sister said it's all lies."

If Ashley hadn't been a trained trooper she might have believed the act almost but between the concealed laboured breathing and Lisa's mistrustful eyes, she knew better. Plus the fact remained that she trusted Katia far more than she trusted Lisa. "I don't know…." She studied Katia then grinned at Lisa. "I have to agree that Katia is a goody-two-shoes, I don't think she would lie."

"Ugh," moaned Lisa, her eyes rolled. "She's got you wrapped around her finger."

Katia stretched out her right leg hard and fast to kick her sister's ankle. "Zip it, Lisa." She evilly grinned. "I just got her trained."

Lisa responded with a few good laughs. She tapered off into a few chuckles and smiled at Ashley. "You have to be careful with Kat, Ashley." She grinned. "I'm telling you right now. When you think you have her figured out there'll be another side to her that you never considered." She pointed a finger at the tall woman. "Not even a state trooper is prepared."

"Lisa," growled Katia.

Ashley chuckled and a pure grin masked her features.

Katia peered up at her friend. "Don't listen to her, Ash." She then hastily changed the subject by reverting the topics onto her sister. "How's school?"

Lisa rolled her eyes as she leaned back into her chair. "You know how that high school is."

"You should have gone to Oldfields."

Lisa sighed because she knew her sister was right. "You know Dad won't let me go."

"That's because you haven't proven anything, Lisa."

Lisa looked at Ashley. "You see Dad thinks that it's some privilege to go to Oldfields." She shook her head and gave a doubtful look to Katia. "I don't see how going to an all girls boarding school is a privilege." She shook her head. "I don't understand how you dealed being trapped with all those girls, Kat."

Katia refrained from smirking and merely said. "I survived."

Lisa eyed her sister carefully. "I swear," she threw up her arms, "that's a lesbian school."

Katia and Ashley quickly exchanged looks but Ashley remained indifferent from saying anything.

Katia however took up to the challenge. "Lisa, I think you'd be surprised how many straight girls there are at that school."

Lisa actually considered it. "You know, I think I could pick out like… two maybe three girls from your graduating class that were definitely lesbian."

"Oooh yeah." Katia laughed because she knew which girls her sister meant. "They were… definitely."

Lisa shook her head and turned some in her chair. She turned off the computer monitor on her desk as she spoke. "I don't see the appeal in another woman."

"You have to try it first, Lisa before you judge it," reminded Katia.

Lisa's head quickly turned to her sister. "Do you say that from experience, Kat?" Her tormenting grin was slowly appearing on her face.

"It's a quote from a gay friend of mine."

Lisa's eyes widened quite largely. "Gay friend? Male or female?"

Katia laughed and replied, "Female… her name is Sara."

Lisa snickered and leaned forward in her chair. "You ever do anything with her, Kat?"

Ashley lifted an eyebrow and her full attention centred on her best friend.

Katia cursed the blush glowing on her face. "No!" She laughed and tried to wipe the blush away but that didn't work. Her thoughts weren't on memories of Sara but Erin instead. "You have to meet Sara to understand why it'd be insane to experiment with her."

"Ooooh is she really butch?" Lisa's face was lit up and she was leaning forward so much she almost looked as if she was about to fall out of her seat.

"Not really." Katia peered up at her quiet best friend. "Sara's more… soft butch?"

Ashley's lips puckered and she shrugged. "Tom-boyish really."

Katia nodded in agreement and looked at her sister. "Let's just say Sara isn't into skirts but she can wear a dress if need be."

Lisa laughed and forced herself to lean back into her chair. "So why haven't you done anything with Sara?"

Katia groaned because she wasn't sure how this cursed topic got started in the first place. "No, Lisa and you couldn't pay me to even think thoughts like that about Sara let alone do anything."

Lisa smirked and shook her head. "I swear, Kat… I think I know better than you do."

Katia was confused but she didn't let on as she tried to play her sister's game. "Know what?"

Lisa brushed her sister off and looked at Ashley. "Ashley probably knows what I'm talking about."

For her only response, Ashley merely murmured, "Mmmhmmm."

Katia glared up at the trooper and decided to go back to the original topic. "You should ask Dad about going to Oldfields."

"Kat, that requires a semester of A's and B's at the high school."

"Which you can do," protested Katia, "it is public school, Lisa."

"It's not that, Kat… I just don't want to."

"Oh lord," grumbled Katia. "Lisa, you really suck sometimes."

Lisa shot back a laugh and grinned at her sister. "Sis, I don't want to show you up at Oldfields."

"My reputation at Oldfields won't get dented by your gossiping ass," chided Katia.

"Oh come on," challenged the younger sister, "you always came home with some juicy gossip about the Oldfields drama." She laughed and teased, "As Oldfields Turns."

"It's the truth huh?" Katia grinned up at her best friend.

The state trooper smirked. "The Young and Horny of Oldfields."

Katia fell back into Lisa's bed and rolled with laughter.

Lisa's jaw was hanging open for a brief moment then she joined her sister in the laughter. The state trooper was fairly silent but Lisa had to admit when she spoke she had something great to say each time. She was actually growing fond of a cop and she wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

**To be continued.**


	22. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

Lisa pushed her peas off to one side of her plate, making sure they didn't get swamped by the thick gravy. She loved gravy until it mixed with her vegetables, well with the exception of her mashed potatoes. She lifted her head and gazed across the table at her sister and her sister's friend. She wasn't surprised by how quiet Katia was while Ashley went under detailed scrutiny by their father.

"So you went to Oldfields as well?" asked Hendrick, his voice carried a note of surprise.

Ashley refrained from smirking, her face subtle. "Yes, I graduated in '95."

"That was two years before you started, Katia."

Katia brought her focus to her mother and nodded. "Ashley actually finished early." She raised an eyebrow at her friend. "Sixteen?"

Ashley only nodded.

"Sixteen?" echoed Mr. Danforth. His blond eyebrows were almost touching and his logical mind worked the numbers. "You must be between twenty-four and twenty-six."

"Twenty-four," confirmed the state trooper.

Lisa blinked and stared at the cop.

"Well I could have sworn you were in your late twenties," admitted Mrs. Danforth.

This time Ashley didn't resist her grin. "It's my height."

Katia smirked and leaned closer to Ashley, she murmured, "Is that what it is?"

Ashley instantly butted her knee up against Katia's to rebuke the comment.

"Where were you born, Ashley?" Cecelia Danforth looked up from her plate but she continued to cut her piece of turkey.

"Easton, ma'am." Ashley cleared her throat. "But we only lived there for about a year after I was born. Then my folks decided to move to Harbeson… it's just south of Rehoboth."

"It's on the bay side?" inquired Hendrick.

Ashley nodded a few times.

Hendrick Danforth considered what he'd learned so far about Ashley Carver. He quietly mixed his mashed potatoes with his gravy then he spoke but without looking up. "Why haven't you continued onto college, Ashley?"

Ashley just contained her deep sigh. She had been waiting the entire integration for that question and she admitted it took longer than she expected. "I wasn't ready to go after high school." She sensed Katia's leg brushing up against her in silent comfort and assurance. "I'm considering on going to college either this spring or next fall."

Hendrick's head was now up and he had a curious expression. "At SU?"

Ashley half smiled. "I believe I'm a little rusty so I'll most likely start at a community college."

"Then transfer out?" piped in Lisa.

The trooper nodded at Lisa.

"You should look into Chesapeake." Lisa grasped her glass of soda but didn't lift it yet. "I hear they have a really good transfer program."

"I'm considering Chesapeake," revealed the trooper.

"What field would you pursue?"

Ashley finished swallowing her mouthful of turkey before replying. She turned her head to Mrs. Danforth first then answered. "Most likely psychology… it'll be beneficial to me as an officer."

"So you're going to stay in the force?" Lisa had a faint grin, her eyes slightly gleaming.

Ashley challenged her back with her own grin. "Of course."

"Awesome," murmured Lisa before she went back to her meal.

Katia's body shook with silent laughs. She shook her head and tried not to make any smart comments. She just shovelled her mashed potatoes into her mouth. She then listened to the continued conversation as her father questioned Ashley about many aspects of her life. Katia felt her respect for Ashley go up five percent with each of her father's questions since Ashley was taking it.

However Katia knew that her father wasn't judging Ashley but merely getting to know her. Her father's version of who a person was went by their life plans. In some ways, Katia could appreciate that because she understood that often a person's plans and past could often mirror who a person was. Yet at the same time, Katia didn't believe that a person's plans and accomplishments were all to whom a person was or could be.

But it was her mother's version of who a person was that Katia sided with too. Her mother believed that who a person was often what rested inside and how they treated loved ones. Katia always appreciated her mother's version and it often helped her in the long run with finding true friends.

So over the years, Katia had figured out these pieces about her parents and saw neither of them the best nor the worst. In turn, Katia took both ideas and meshed them together for when she got to know who a person really was. And sitting here right now, Katia could see how her father's questions added up and how her mother's piercing eyes defined Ashley Carver to them. It made a slow, satisfied smile creep across her face and her stomach tingled just slightly.

First Sergeant Ashlinn K. Carver was a fascinating mystery to her parents.

***

Katia rested on her back in the middle of her old bed. Her vibrant ivy eyes were closed as she listened to the soft rain drops above her head. Her hands rested on her stomach and she gently patted her full belly, it was quite happy from her mother's meal.

With a deep breath, Katia inhaled the comforting sent of her room and clean bed sheets. So slowly a warm smile eased across her face and she really wasn't sure why she felt this happy. She wasn't happily ever after happy but she was very content and she figured that had to do with today's events, well more like this past week's events. Her break with Ashley had turned out a lot better than she could have ever hoped.

And it was very comforting to be at home, with her family, and the one person that meant the most to her was just across the hall. She knew what rested ahead of her, especially when she returned to college, but she blocked that from her mind since here and now was what mattered.

Katia gradually opened her eyes and her eyes focused on the white ceiling above, they honed in on the glow in the dark figures. The glow in the dark sheep made Katia chuckle as the old childhood memories of her carefully attaching the cute glow in the dark sheep on the ceiling filtered back to her. To this day, she still loved them and late nights included counting them repeatedly up to numbers of two hundred and three hundred. Counting sheep was almost as good as telling and creating stories in her head when she was a kid.

That thought made Katia's mind roam back to Thanksgiving night last night with the Carvers and having Katie beg her for a story. She didn't expect that request but Katie refused to give up unless Katia told a children's story to her and Ben. Her story had ended the Thanksgiving dinner perfectly for the Carvers and for Katia.

Yet it seemed as if fate still had another hurdle for her last night. After Thomas, Anna, and the kids left Ashley and Katia went upstairs, they ended up in Ashley's room together. The conversation from last night replayed in Katia's head so perfectly.

"Have you thought anymore about going to see your parents?" Ashley was over by her desk, she leaned back against it.

Katia had just finished wiggling up onto Ashley's bed. "Not… really, Ash." Her head was slightly hung down, her eyes locked on her slowly sweating hands.

The state trooper remained quiet for a moment as she stared down at her boots that slightly protruded from under her pant legs. She tilted her head up and her right eyebrow went up. "Even if its for a day, Katia we should stop there."

Katia shook her head and peered up, they were fuzzy with emotions. "Ashley, I don't want to see them right now."

Ashley threw up her hands some and looked away. She sighed as she returned her focus to her friend. "How is this week going to be any different than Christmas break?" She pushed off the desk and slowly approached Katia. "You are going to see them in a few weeks anyway."

"That's in a few weeks," reminded Katia. She balled up her sweaty hands and lifted her head. "And without you."

Ashley stopped a few feet from the small woman, she folded her arms over her chest. "Katia, you can't hide me from them forever."

Katia bitterly laughed and a sarcastic grin was on her face. "You'd be surprised."

The state trooper let out a heavy sigh and stomped over to the bedroom door then spun around. "What is it you're so afraid of?"

Katia slid off the bed. "Maybe that my parents will suspect their little girl isn't so normal."

"And they won't accept that, not even over time?" countered Ashley.

Katia's eyes instinctively narrowed and she stepped up to Ashley. "You don't know my parents," she whispered, "especially my father." She paused as she studied her friend's worried eyes. "Disowning me would only be the first step."

"Katia," murmured the trooper. She placed her hands gently on Katia's shoulders and brought her head down closer. "I'm not asking or telling you to reveal anything to them. You still need to consider everything yourself." She dipped her head a little more and actually saw Katia relax. "I'm asking you to visit them since it is the holidays." Her lips puckered in thought. "And I want to meet them because they're apart of who you are."

Katia bowed her head and she seriously considered her friend's request. Slowly she started to nod and her head came back up. "You're right." Her right hand came up and her fingers curled around Ashley's wrist.

Ashley now released Katia's shoulders but she intertwined their hands on the left side.

"Just promised not to stir up any trouble," lightly teased Katia.

The state trooper had a thin smile but she nodded. "Promise." Then her smile shaped more into a devilish grin. "I can't promise anything with Lisa though."

Katia actually laughed this time. "She's a freeforall, Ash."

"Hmmmm." Ashley's grin broadened and her eyes glowed but then her expression completely shifted serious again. "I think we may stop at my father's." After the tilt of Katia's head, she continued to speak. "He lives just out side of Galena."

Katia nodded and gave a soft smile. "Only fair."

The state trooper chuckled and as she unlaced their hands, she made sure to tussle Katia's blond hair.

Katia's heavily sighed as her eyes opened, the memory faded out from her mind. She rolled her head to the left and stared at the red digital clock on her nightstand. It was ten after ten and she could only imagine what her friend was doing; most likely watching television.

With that in mind, Katia sat up and pushed herself out of bed. She gingerly slipped through her dark room and out the door only to be in the low lit hallway. She crossed the short space to Ashley's door and knocked on it, no answer was forthcoming. So Katia quietly opened the door and peeked in; Ashley wasn't there, which struck Katia's curiosity.

As Katia closed the door she peered down at her sister's door; there was flickering light streaming out from underneath the door. Katia shrugged and padded down the hallway. Lisa called for her to come in after she knocked a few times.

Lisa turned down the volume on her television and smiled at her sister. "What's up?" Her remote flopped on her belly.

Katia sat down on the edge of the bed, next to her sister. "Have you seen Ashley?"

Lisa chuckled and pointed at her window off to the right. "I just got off the computer." She watched her sister get up and near the window. "I briefly saw her outside, in mom's garden."

Katia's eyes narrowed as she focused on the figure sitting on the bench in the small, dormant garden.

"Is she still on her cell phone?"

Katia tilted her head some and replied, "Yeah."

"She was on it when she walked out," further mentioned the younger sister.

Katia's eyes floated up to the clear sky. The moon was out and almost full; the entire garden glowed white and Ashley's hair was like mercury. A brief flutter curled in the bottom of Katia's stomach. Yet she was incredibly curious as to who her best friend could possible be talking to right now.

Ashley leaned forward as she switched her phone from one hand and ear to the other. Her lips were tightly pressed as she carefully listened to the deep male voice. Finally she cut in at the end of his report. "He is under arrest?" Her tight lips loosened into a smile. "Has Williams said anything about Fluehr?" She now sat up straight and carefully listened to what Detective Gunner had to say.

Ashley then made out the faint sound of the back door to the house opening and closing. Her senses immediately told her that it was her best friend closing in on her. She knew she had to cut her conversation short with the narcotics officer. "Alright Gunner, just keep me post on the progress." She lowered her voice more this time. "Great… thanks. Bye." She shut her cell phone and turned her head sidelong, Katia's form only fifty feet away.

"Hey Ash," greeted the college student.

Ashley's lips were touched by a gentle smile. "How are you doing, K?" She scooted to her left, closer to the end of the bench.

Katia wrapped her arms around her body as she sat down beside her friend. "Pretty good."

"Not so bad, huh?" lightly bantered the trooper.

Katia bumped her shoulders against Ashley's then offered a smile back. "You were right, like always."

"Hmmmm." Ashley shook her head as she fiddled with her small cell phone between her hands. "It's pretty rare that I am right."

Katia was staring around the bare garden as she considered her friend's words. "You're often right about me though."

"I guess," murmured the trooper. She glanced at Katia then back at the garden, studying a few low shrubs that survived the winter seasons. "You worry too often, Katia."

The small woman just shrugged. "It's my nature, Ash." She cleared her throat and looked at her best friend. "I try not to but it just happens."

"Yeah… I know." Ashley finally slipped her cell phone back into her jacket pocket. "I try to go with the flow." That made Katia grin so Ashley chuckled. "I think the exception comes into play with people I care about."

"I've noticed that a little bit."

The state trooper shook her head, she was amused. "I'm protective, I admit it."

"I think you get it honestly." Katia did her own raised eyebrow trick. "Your mom."

Ashley's wide smile appeared and she nodded. "My mom is my world."

Katia considered that then gently whispered, "I noticed how close you are to Katie too."

Ashley nodded several times then peered up at her friend. "She's a great girl… she'll be an amazing woman one day."

Katia had to agree but then she chuckled at a memory from Thanksgiving night.

"What?" murmured the trooper.

"Just thinking about when you and Katie were running around the house… you chasing her."

The state trooper groaned. "We can roughhouse at times." She then grabbed her right jacket sleeve and managed to pull it up to reveal her arm to the biting cold night. "Look at this bruise she gave me."

Katia leaned closer and gaped at the dark grey patch on the left side of Ashley's well formed arm. "Jesus, Ash… she kicked your ass."

The state trooper laughed and pulled the sleeve back down. "She's a tough kid."

"She should be the state trooper," joked Katia. That got Ashley to laugh even more and Katia joined.

"I think you're right," finally agreed the trooper, "I'll have to enlist her when she's old enough." Her joke got a few more chuckles out of Katia, which made Ashley smile. "You ready to go inside?"

"Yeah… getting cold," admitted the young woman.

"I know," murmured the trooper. She instinctively wrapped her arm around Katia's shoulders when they both stood up together. And it was so natural for Katia to lean into Ashley's never ending warmth.

Together the pair quietly snuck back into the house, through the kitchen, into the lobby, and upstairs. Ashley made sure to direct her friend into the guestroom, she wasn't ready to say goodnight to Katia. As far as she could tell, Katia second the idea since Katia quickly slipped into the bedroom. It only took them two minutes to discard their jackets and get their shoes off, and then they were snuggled up in bed together. Ashley made sure to wrap Katia up into her strong arms knowing the small body needed warmth.

Katia contently sighed as her body warmed against Ashley and under the covers. Her eyes faintly stung when the bright television flickered on and loud voices boomed. Ashley had instantly turned the volume down and was already channel surfing before Katia could figure out what was on tv. Katia swatted her friend on her side. "Stop that."

Ashley was on her back so she rolled her head to the left where Katia was curled up against her. "What?"

Katia dramatically sighed for extra effect. Her small hand snaked out from under the covers and she yanked the remote from Ashley's hand. "You flip too fast."

Now it was Ashley dramatically sighing and a roll of her sky eyes. "Go on, princess."

"Yes, my queen," shot back Katia. She lifted the remote and slowly flipped through the channels for her favourite station.

Ashley immediately groaned when her friend stopped on the Discovery Channel.

"The FBI was called in to the Kansas City investigation…." spoke out the deep male voice from the television.

"K, we are not-"

"Oh yes we are." Katia hastily shoved the remote between her body and the bed. "Admit it." She pointed her finger right in her best friend's face. "You love these FBI Files." She stared hard into Ashley's eyes.

Ashley bit the inside of her lip as she tried to remain annoyed.

Katia's lips gradually spread into a wicked grin, her teeth just showing between her lips.

Ashley suddenly laughed and dropped her head back some.

"See! I knew it," proclaimed the younger woman. "You love this stuff." When Ashley brought her face back around, Katia quickly poked Ashley's cute nose and smirked at her. "You want to be a FBI agent."

"Hmph," murmured the state trooper. She made no further comments and merely watched the show but put on a fake mask of pure tolerance.

Katia though knew better but it made her body shake with silent laughs. She returned her focus to the television and watched the FBI and local Kansas City police hunt down a sadistic murderer. For awhile, she and Ashley remained quiet but close to each other, tightly snuggled. But at the end of the show, Katia reached under her right leg to wiggle out the remote and she turned the volume down on the television. She gently lifted herself up, Ashley's hand automatically balanced her for extra support.

Ashley turned her head to Katia and arched an eyebrow.

Katia grinned for a moment but then relaxed as she asked, "What's the plan tomorrow?"

"Head home," offered Ashley as if she expected a rebuke.

Katia bite her lower lip, her eyes unfocused for a second. "How about we take 301 then Route 50 down to Salisbury."

The state trooper had a curious look as she tried to piece together what Katia had in mind. Then it instantly dawn on her what was right off Route 50. "You want to stop at the college," she stated.

Katia just nodded and when nothing was forthcoming from Ashley, she pushed the topic more. "I think it'd be good for you to… you know look into it."

Ashley inhaled deeply and her mind slowly worked things out. "Yeah… maybe so." She swallowed and her attention focused on Katia again. "We'll stop there." She enjoyed the thin smile appearing on her friend's face. "But I don't think I can go until the Fall."

Katia tilted her head in question.

"Work," simply supplied the trooper.

Katia only nodded, she wasn't about to pry even though she was dying to do just that. Instead she lowered herself back down and snuggled against Ashley's side.

"Let me see that remote," sternly ordered the trooper when she saw that another FBI Files had started.

"I don't think so." Katia didn't waste a second in ramming the remote back into it's hiding spot.

"Don’t make me tickle you, K," warned Ashley.

Katia laughed at the threat.

"Aaalright then." Ashley freed her arm from under her friend and started to roll over and above Katia.

Katia cringed and already started to squeal even though Ashley had yet to touch her sides. "Ash, don't do it… I'm telling you." Katia put on her best glare. "You'll lose brownie points with me."

Ashley remained over top of her best friend, looking into deep turquoise eyes; her midnight hair flowed down and curtained around their faces. "Give me the remote."

"Never," squeaked the young woman.

Ashley bared her teeth in a wicked grin. Her right hand lifted up in the space between them but in clear view for Katia to see. "Remote." She sharply heightened her eyebrow. "Now," she growled, her hand getting close to Katia's right ribs.

Katia tensed and held her breath, her heart pounded. "Ash, don't do this."

"You have five seconds," stated the trooper. "One… two…."

Katia's midsection arched up when Ashley's fingertips brushed her side. "No, no no… okay!" Her hand disappeared under her back and the remote materialized. "Take it!"

Ashley laughed and scooped up her prize before flopping onto her back.

Katia though sighed so deeply that her chest almost ached. "You can be so evil."

"Thank you," teased Ashley. She directed the remote at the television.

Katia sighed as she waited to see what show Ashley would switch to. Her eyebrows then furrowed tightly together when she realized that the volume was going up and the channel stayed. Katia's jaw slacked some and she huffed at her friend.

"I couldn't quite hear it," complained the state trooper.

Katia instantly shot up on her side and gave her more dangerous face to Ashley. "I correct myself." She pointed her finger at Ashley. "You are evil," she hissed.

Ashley proudly smiled and patted her stomach with her left hand.

"You can't hear it my ass," further bellowed the young woman. "You can hear feathers roaring by at a heavy metal rock concert."

Ashley bursted into pure laughter at her friend's metaphor.

Katia just groaned, shook her head and just lowered herself down against Ashley's shaking body. After about two minutes, Ashley settled down and Katia curled up tighter against her friend.

Ashley was watching the show but then her focus was broken by two small fingertips touching her stomach, just under her button up shirt.

Katia's full attention was on the television yet her hand was working its way under Ashley's shirt.

Ashley's jaw tightened when Katia's warm hand touched her skin then there was the slow but soothing start of rubbing.

Katia's breathing was nice and slow but she wasn't even aware what she was doing with her right hand. The skin on skin contact didn't occur to her until she sensed a very warm hand press against her skin on her back. "Ash?" she murmured.

"Yeah?" quietly replied the trooper.

Katia stopped rubbing her friend's stomach, which made Ashley stop too. She somewhat separated herself from Ashley as if she wasn't sure what was happening and maybe even scared.

Ashley could sense to questioning hanging in the space between them. She swallowed then held onto a leap of faith as she whispered, "It's okay." She turned her head to Katia. "If you're okay."

Katia didn't hesitate to glue herself back to Ashley's side. She let out a strong sigh of relief and she buried her face into Ashley's neck.

Ashley smiled and quickly grabbed the remote. She didn't need the FBI Files to entertain her when she had Katia right here beside her. So she turned off the television and gently tossed the remote onto the nightstand.

Katia blinked a few times, her eyes adjusting to the darkness. She then realized that Ashley had rolled onto her side too, Katia stared right into rich glowing blue eyes. "Hi," she murmured.

Ashley softly smiled. "Hey." She invited Katia into her arms more and she was happy to feel Katia move in closer.

Katia then wrapped her legs around Ashley's as her head settled under Ashley's chin. "Ash?"

"Hmmm?" murmured the trooper.

"Are we going to change?"

"In a minute," muttered Ashley, she was too content to move right now. "Unless you want to get up?"

"Not…right now," admitted Katia.

That made Ashley smile, her eyes drifted shut, and she tried to relax. And for once she might have agreed with Katia that she could very well hear feathers at a rock concert. She could certainly hear Katia's heart pounding like a rock concert or she was getting it confused with her own? Either way, there was a loud beat between both their touching chests and when Ashley listened long enough, she realized there wasn't one but two synchronized beats.

**To be continued.**


	23. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

Katia tossed her bag onto the floor at the foot of her bed then she fell into the middle of her bed. She groaned and covered her face with her hands. Today had been a long ride back to the college from home mainly because she and Ashley had done a lot of serious talking. Katia actually felt drained and worn out despite she hadn't done anything but sit in Ashley's passenger seat.

They had stopped at Chesapeake College as Ashley had promised. After a brief walk around the small campus, they visited the admissions office and Ashley collected a lot of information. Katia could tell her best friend was warming up to the idea of starting college at Chesapeake. In some ways, it seemed to inspire Katia with her own school and wanting to become more engrossed in her education.

However on the remaining ride home, the conversation turned more serious and Katia wasn't sure where it stemmed from in Ashley. Ashley was never typically that serious unless times called for it and Katia hadn't really expected it at all.

"Katia?" Ashley was reaching forward and she turned down the volume on her stereo.

Katia turned her head away from the window; she now curiously studied her friend. She noted how stern Ashley seemed and the tightness in Ashley's tone. "What's up, Ash?" she murmured carefully, not sure what to expect.

"I need you to do me a favour, can you?" prompted the trooper.

Katia tilted her head like always but she nodded.

"I want you to be careful around Bobby Fluehr."

Katia's eyes naturally narrowed and she tried to keep her annoyance in check. "Ash, he's fine… he's not going to do anything." She folded her arms against her chest. "Besides, I think I can handle him."

"That's not what I'm contesting, Katia." Ashley tried to remain calm and reminded herself not to reveal anything about her investigation. She could not calculate what Katia would do once she discovered what her friends have been doing without her realization. "But that doesn't mean he won't try something."

"Wait," cut in Katia, "let me just guess…." She held up a hand then flopped it back in her lap. "Some of my friends went to you and went on about Bobby being some drug dealer on campus."

"Katia, stop." Ashley shot a warning look to her friend.

Katia huffed and turned her head away. "He's my boyfriend, Ash… he's my problem and I will deal with him."

"That's fine, Katia but right now would not be the best time," forcefully instructed Ashley. "I think you should wait until after Christmas vacation to confront him."

"You're joking, right?" Katia sarcastically laughed. "Ashley, I'm not going to still be with him when I'm clearly interested in you."

Ashley's stomach quickly tingled at Katia's bold statement. For a second, Ashley cursed her body's natural reaction and tried to return to the reason for this conversation. "I agree, Katia but consider what time it is." Ashley raised an eyebrow at her friend. "You're about to go into your finals… your grades depend on a good exam result. I don't think you need to stress yourself out about a break up with Bobby when you need to focus on school."

"Exactly! All the more reason I need to break up with him before the exams," countered Katia. "Otherwise I'll be too busy worrying about him and breaking up… even over my vacation." She shook her head and muttered, "I rather deal with it head on than wait."

Ashley silently drummed her right hand on the steering wheel. Her mind quickly worked to come up with compromising solution for both of them that wouldn't leave Katia in danger. She had to plan her arrest for Bobby at the right time but without letting any word getting out to Bobby. It was a sticky situation and she hated the fact that Katia was right in the middle of it. If Ashley had it her way, Bobby Fluehr would have been in prison when she first met him ever since he made Ashley's skin crawl.

Katia peeked over at her silent friend. She could see Ashley was considering a lot of things and it was also frustrating Ashley too. She couldn't quite understand what Ashley's intent was on keeping her with Bobby for a certain period of time. Whatever reason it was it deemed important to Ashley and Katia was being a pain about it.

"How about this," interrupted Ashley's voice into Katia's thoughts, "you stay with Bobby until after the exams."

"You mean break up right after the exams?"

"Before you go on vacation," added Ashley.

Katia sunk in her chair some. "Same difference," she muttered then she slowly nodded her head. "Alright," she agreed. She actually saw Ashley faintly relax, the tension clearly leaving the trooper's shoulders. That seemed to calm Katia's annoyance; she knew she could be too stubborn for her own good. With that decided Katia turned her head away and stared back out the passenger window.

Ashley released a silent sigh; she was partially content with the result of the conversation. She knew timing was everything in handling her warrant for Bobby's arrest. So far she had solid evidence and witnesses against Bobby Fluehr but first she had to tie ends with Andre Williams. She couldn't lose him knowing if he went free that he would go right back to Bobby. She was relieved though to hear from Detective Gunner that the sting operation over the Thanksgiving break went well. Thanksgiving break had been perfect timing for Detective Gunner to do the setup while all the college kids were away and most likely would not catch wind of it until weeks later. 

Soon as Ashley returned home, she would return to duty and compile all of her evidence to get her warrant for Bobby Fluehr. She knew it wouldn't take long for the D.A. to issue a warrant for him. The only concern Ashley had was gathering evidence about Bobby's possible rapes. It was only word of mouth that Bobby Fluehr had raped several girls on the SU campus. Ashley had no leads to any victim's names and it was something that ate deep in Ashley. She wanted him convicted for all charges, especially if rape was one of them.

Ashley shook the thoughts out of her head. She couldn't worry about them right now since there was nothing for her to do this minute other than drive. She glanced over at her best friend.

Katia caught Ashley's eyes and she read hidden worry deep in Ashley's eyes. Katia was confused and even more confused when something flashed through Ashley's eyes. Before Katia could pinpoint what it was, Ashley had already looked away. "Ash…."

"Katia," started the trooper, her grip on the steering wheel tight. "Have you gone to counselling yet?"

Katia's eyebrows pressed together briefly as she considered her friend's question. "Counselling for…." Quickly it dawned on her and her stomach pitched. "No," she murmured. Her eyes lowered to her hands, which were already knotting together in anxiety. "I just went to a… gynaecologist to make sure I didn't get any STD's."

"How were the results?" carefully asked the trooper.

"Everything was negative," murmured the college student, "Fortunately."

"But you haven't had any counselling?"

Katia's old habit of scraping her nail against her skin along the side of her thumb came back to her. "No… you're the only person I've told." She stopped pulling at her skin for a moment. "I think Erin, Sara, and Mike suspect though… actually I know they do."

"You need to see somebody, Katia."

Katia went back to pulling at the skin close to her nails. "Maybe sometime," she quietly whispered. She gently cleared her throat and made sure never to make eye contact with her friend.

Ashley remained still and silent other than the occasional turn of the wheel. She composed the words carefully in her mind before saying anything further. "Katia, I know it was hard but it's something you need to face."

"No," cut off Katia, "No you don't know how hard it is, Ashley." She finally faced her friend.

Ashley wasn't looking at her though, instead she brushed back several of her dark strands of hair behind her right ear. Her chest rose up so high then quickly lowered back down. "I do know, Katia." She swallowed and glanced over. "I do know."

Katia remained silent and for those two seconds of eye contact, she saw how raw Ashley was in that moment. Now Katia clearly understood why Ashley felt so protective over Katia; Ashley was seeing herself growing up in Katia.

Ashley was quiet yet her mind was loud. Her mind jumped back and forth between Bobby, Katia, and everything that's happened since she'd known Katia. Then a random, old conversation between her and Katia suddenly flooded into her mind and she lost all focus. Her eyes went wide suddenly.

Katia felt a rush of fear at Ashley's stricken face. She fearfully whispered, "What is it?" to Ashley when Ashley looked at her. When Ashley said nothing, she followed Ashley's gaze out the front window. "Ashley!" she screamed and the oncoming tractor trailer's horn blasted.

Ashley let go of the steering wheel and pulled her foot of the gas as she tried to reach over to Katia. Her mouth opened and she desperately cried out Katia's name.

"Katia!" yelled Sara when she came in through the door.

Katia instantly shot up from the middle of her bed, her hair slightly messy and her chest heavily rising and falling.

"Sara, she was sleeping," complained Erin from behind in the doorway. She tossed her bag onto her bed as her girlfriend went over to Katia.

"You were asleep?" asked Sara, she sat down next to Katia.

Katia rubbed her face as she sat up next to her friend. "Yeah, I guess so. I was just lying down… thinking… must have dozed off." She silently heaved in deep breaths but her body still shook from the nightmare.

"How was your break?"

Katia looked over at her roommate. "It went well."

"You make out with Ashley?" teased Sara and she instantly received a smack on her leg. "Guess not," muttered Sara.

Katia finished glaring at Sara and asked Erin, "How was yours?"

"Excellent… it was great to terrorize my baby brother," she joked.

Sara chuckled and piped in, "Yeah I got my big sister all flustered."

"You put on your gay charm?" teased Katia.

Sara smirked, threw her left arm across Katia's shoulders, and leaned closer to her. "I make everybody gay."

Katia groaned, grabbed Sara's arm and threw it off her shoulders. "No thanks." She patted Sara's leg, a fake smile on her face. "Can't you control her, Erin?"

Erin opened her mouth to reply but Sara answered first. "She likes it wild."

Katia instantly stood up and walked over to her desk, spun around with a silly grin. "So, has anybody seen Mike?"

"I talked to him briefly on the phone… he'll be here in an hour or so." Erin was checking her watch then looked up at her roommate. "He said he's missed you."

Katia laughed right away and nodded. "He needs me." She leaned back against her desk chair for extra support; she was finally feeling the effects of the dream wearing off.

"How was Ashley's family?" seriously asked Sara.

"They were great," answered Katia.

"They liked you?" asked Erin, a note of teasing in her tone.

Katia had a small grin but she nodded. "Yeah… her mom is awesome." She pulled her chair around and sat in it to face her friends. "We also went to see my folks."

"Really?" Erin perked up at that news. "How was Lisa? I haven't seen her since the summer."

"She was really good," replied Katia. "My parents haven't changed."

Erin quietly chuckled then discreetly raised an eyebrow at her girlfriend. "Did you stay long at your parents?"

Katia shook her head. "Just one night."

Sara had settled into her spot next to Erin and now returned her attention to Katia. "Do they know about Ashley?"

"Oh nooo." Katia gently laughed and shook her head. "No way."

"What they think of her?" pressed Erin.

Katia took a moment to rub the back of her neck. "They seemed… confused by her."

"Confused?" Sara was confused one now. "She's a tall, deadly cop… what's there to be confused about?"

"Just how she… works, I guess." Katia shrugged at her friends.

"You have to admit," cut in Erin, "Ashley is quite interesting."

Sara shot a curious look at her girlfriend. "How is that?"

"She's mysterious," answered Erin, "in some ways." She looked over at Katia for help.

"She is," second Katia with a nod. "I mean, she's a cop… in the army… I don't even know any of her background in the army."

"Plus it's that dark complexion she has," further added Erin, "makes her look dangerous."

"But her eyes are so easy to trust," added Katia.

Erin nodded her head. "I think it's just that uniform and the way she uses it." She smirked at her girlfriend.

Sara had an annoyed look and she said, "So she's mysterious, what's great about that?"

"It makes her incredibly sexy," whispered Katia, her eyes swirled in a dark hungry green.

Erin and Sara slowly turned their heads to Katia and gawked at her in disbelief.

Katia realized what she'd said and suddenly her dazed expression disappeared. "What?"

Sara pointed her finger at Katia and opened her mouth to say, "Katia-"

"Honeys, I'm home," announced Mike as he entered the room. He had an excited expression but it dropped when he saw the stunned ones on Erin and Sara's. Then when he looked at Katia, her face was very smug. "What the hell did I miss?"

"Oh nothing," quickly answered Katia. She hopped out of her chair and immediately gave Mike a long hug.

Mike didn't hesitate to hug his friend back and at the end he made sure to give her a peck on the cheek. "Miss me?"

"Always," teased back Katia.

Mike then slipped over to the girlfriends and forced his way between them, his ass wiggling down until he was on the bed. He put his arms around the two girls. "How are my lesbians?"

"Well… real well," lightly answered Erin, her expression soft.

Mike curiously looked at Sara.

Sara huffed and replied, "Good." She then smiled and gave a side hug to Mike. "How was your Thanksgiving?"

Mike dropped his arms as he nodded a few times. "My mom made it all about herself… so it was excellent," he joked.

Erin slightly chuckled and shook her head. "It was a good break otherwise?"

"Yeah… pretty much," he agreed. He then turned his head to Katia. "And how was your vacation, Katia?"

Katia smiled sweetly.

***

First Sergeant Ashley Carver marched into the barracks and went straight to her desk. On her desk waited her radio and it only took her a minute to hook it all into place on her belt. She heard the quiet footsteps behind her and she turned around.

"Sergeant Carver."

Ashley immediately smiled and held out her right hand. "Glad to see you, Gunner."

The older detective returned the smile, his white teeth and blue eyes bright against his black skin. "How was your vacation?"

"Excellent." Ashley reached up to remove her manila trooper hat. "Thank you for taking care of Williams."

"It was my pleasure." The narcotics officer still had his pearly smile. "It's great having a trooper take on the drug problems in Salisbury. I'm happy to help."

"I appreciate it." Ashley settled her hat under her arm while her hand clasped her large belt buckle. "What's happening with Williams?"

"Well he first refuted the charges so I shared with him the evidence from the undercover work."

"He didn't like that huh?" Ashley had a hidden smirk.

"Not very much," agreed Detective Gunner. "So the D.A. has agreed to a deal with him for his statement that Fluehr is a rapist."

Ashley blinked and shook her head. "We weren't planning on any deal, Gunner. We did not work this hard to let him get ten years shaved off his sentence." Her eyes darkened and she hotly whispered, "I didn't work this hard."

"Carver, you don't have any leads to Fluehr's victims… nobody on the SU campus is talking." The detective sighed and briefly looked away. "None of his victims know it was him," he whispered, "or that it even happened to them."

"I think I know one of his victims," challenged Sergeant Carver.

"You think?" Detective Gunner noticed some of the other troopers were looking at them. He sighed and ordered Ashley to follow him into an investigation room close by. After he closed the door, he started talking again. "Ashley, listen to me this is detective work we're doing here. We can't go on guesses or hunches so either you have a victim or you don't."

The state trooper silently put her hat on the edge of the wood table in the room. She remained calm as she lifted her head to gaze at the detective. "I have one of his victims," she stated. She folded her arms over her chest and tilted her head a little. "And I won't let Williams have that deal."

"What's the victim's name?"

Ashley Carver shook her head and unfolded her arms quickly. "I can't say."

Detective Gunner sighed and put his hands on his hips. "You mustn't work well with partners, Carver."

The state trooper picked up her hat, bowed her head, put it on and started for the door. She paused beside Detective Gunner's side. "I don't need one," she murmured, "they slow me down." She opened the door and walked out but headed directly to the captain's office across the barracks.

The detective stared out the door at the sergeant's back. "I pity any cop that rides with you." He shook his head and decided to join Carver at the captain's office. He had to hear what the captain would have to say about Carver's plans.

***

The A.D.A. stared at Ashley Carver just over the rim of her silver, thin glasses. "You can count on this victim to testify against Fluehr, sergeant?"

Sergeant Carver remained still in the chair in front of the A.D.A since she was so confident. "Yes ma'am, I believe she will testify."

"This is a sticky situation we have here, sergeant," insisted the assistant district attorney. "If she refuses to testify against Fluehr for rape we will completely lose those charges." She lowered the paper she'd been glancing over. "We have a strong case with William's testimony."

"I refuse to let him have a deal," countered Ashley Carver.

"Is this some personal agenda, sergeant?" shot back the A.D.A.

Ashley sighed and tried not to grip her hat on her knee any tighter. "No ma'am, this is about justice for both of these men."

The attorney sighed and she pulled off her glasses, she gently tapped them on her desk. "You're positive this victim will testify, Sergeant Carver?"

"Yes ma'am." Ashley kept her head up and her conviction in her tone.

The attorney brushed back her blond hair behind her ear and peered down at the paperwork. "Alright, sergeant." She lifted her head. "I'm putting complete faith in your judgement."

"Thank you, ma'am." Ashley Carver sensed all her tension flood out of her body. She stood up and bent her head forward as she put on her trooper hat.

"Thank me after the trial, sergeant." The A.D.A watched the trooper stop by the office door. "Rape victims are the hardest to get on the stand."

Ashley tipped the brim of her hat to the A.D.A. after a brief smile then she silently left. She quickly walked down the large but busy hallway of the courthouse and went out the big oak doors to be greeted by the cold air. She felt rather settled because tomorrow she would be given the arrest warrant for Bobby Fluehr and be able to serve it. It was now two o'clock and Ashley's shift was over but the A.D.A. was going into a judge's chambers to have an arrest warrant approved.

The A.D.A had already promised Carver that she would have the warrant by six tomorrow, no later. It was even quite possible she'd have the judge's approval sooner. Until that time, Ashley and Detective Gunner had to organize the remains of their evidence and work with the district attorney for Fluehr and Williams' cases.

Right now though, it was time for Ashley to call her shift to an end. She finally made it to her patrol car and climbed in quickly. She would head back to the barracks, clean up her paperwork, and head home for the rest of the afternoon. The first thing on her list of to do's after work was to check on Katia; she hadn't spoken with Katia since their Thanksgiving break.

Erin and Katia stepped aside from the doorway of the lecture hall as the flow of students rushed out.

"You think you'll take the exam?" first asked Erin.

Katia shifted her blue bookbag on her back some then replied, "Yeah I think so." Her focus though was on the traffic of people coming out of the lecture hall. She and Erin were waiting for Bobby. "I think I have a high C average."

"That's probably what mine is too," agreed Erin.

Katia glanced at her roommate. "You can be my study buddy," she teased and gently bumped her shoulder against Erin's.

Erin chuckled then smiled. "I'll probably take it." She shrugged. "It's sweet he's giving us the option to take the exam or not."

"Yeah… I've never had a professor do that."

Erin only nodded then she felt a sudden tension when Bobby Fluehr came out of the lecture hall. It was so hard for her not to say or do something to him when she knew who he really was while he hid it from Katia. Yet as she caught a side glance at her roommate, she could see underlying tension in Katia too. She had to wonder if Katia didn't suspect what was going on too. If it was one thing she'd learned about Katia it was never to underestimate her; she could play dumb when it served a purpose.

Bobby approached his girlfriend, a warm smile on his lips. He instantly received on back from Katia along with a soft kiss.

"How are you?" murmured Katia, she started walking along side of him.

Bobby slipped an arm around his girlfriend's waist. He sensed Erin on his left side. "Pretty good." He was trying hard to become more physical with Katia; he'd learned that Katia was a rather touchy feely type of person. What bothered him though was the fact she tended to keep a certain space with him most often than not. Now he was trying to break her of that and he noticed she seemed to be compromising some. "How are you doing?"

Katia nodded a few times. "Good." She peered up at him briefly then looked ahead as she pushed open the heavy glass doors.

Erin helped to hold the doors open but her attention was towards a brunette headed through the plaza towards them. She suddenly smiled.

"Are you taking the exam?" asked Katia to Bobby.

"I don't think so," answered the young man. "I don’t want to risk my C."

Katia slightly grinned but she focused on getting down the steps to the bottom. "What's your average?"

"I think it's a low C," replied Bobby, "I know I'll flunk the exam." He was about to say more but he saw Sara Miller joining them. "Hey Sara."

Sara dipped her head some. "Hey Bobby." She came along side her girlfriend and after a warm smile to Erin, she greeted Katia. "Heya Katia."

Katia mirrored her friend's smile. "How are yah, Sara?"

"Brain fried," complain the lesbian. "All the professors are cramming since it's the last class week."

"Tell me about it," murmured Katia.

"How was your bay class?" quietly asked Sara.

Erin shrugged at her girlfriend then looked at her roommate. "What did we learn this time?"

Katia grinned. "That female crabs are tastier than male crabs."

Sara had the hugest smirk. "Well doesn't that just-"

"Hush," cut in Erin, a warning glare on her face.

Sara merely rolled her eyes and decided to find her cigarettes.

Erin then listened in on the quiet conversation between Bobby and Katia.

"If you have some time tonight how about we…." Bobby trailed off when he heard Katia's cell phone ringing in her jacket pocket.

"Damn," complained Katia as she pulled out her cell phone. She looked at the Caller ID and saw it was Ashley calling her. "Hold on a sec." She opened her phone. "Hey, Ash."

Bobby's eyes narrowed and he turned his head away.

Sara was taking a short smoke from her cigarette but she curiously peered up at her girlfriend.

Erin wasn't looking at Sara but she had a very visible smug look.

"Yeah sure I have some free time," continued Katia. "Is something up?" She faintly smiled when she heard Ashley's invitation. "I can come over. You want me to make something?" She then quietly laughed. "Oooh you're going to make something? I will definitely be there." Her smile dimmed a little. "Okay, just let me know, Ash. Okay… bye." She hung up the phone.

"Date with Ashley?" inquired Bobby.

Katia was slipping her phone away but she silently nodded. "She wants me to visit."

Bobby held back from say anything and only because Katia's two friends were with them. Instead he climbed the steps to the Severn dorm and opened the door for everybody. He followed in last but walked behind Katia up the two flights of stairs.

The small group entered Erin and Katia's room. Erin tossed aside her bag and decided to scoot Sara out of the room to leave Bobby and Katia alone. After they left, Bobby sat in Katia's desk chair while Katia busied herself with getting her books out and on her desk. She wanted to do most of her homework before going to see Ashley.

"You know, I missed you," quietly acknowledged Bobby.

Katia was kneeling down, sifting through her book bag when Bobby spoke up. She stopped her milling about and peered up at her boyfriend. She could read in his eyes that he wanted her to say the same but she couldn't lie. She didn't miss him for a second. She looked down into her book bag, found her English book, pulled it out, and stood up.

"I know," Katia murmured as she gently placed a kiss to his forehead. "I thought about you." And it was true, she concluded, she'd thought a lot about him and what she was doing with him. That seemed to satisfy Bobby because he had a faint smile on his sculpted features yet then it faded.

"How long you think you'll be at Ashley's?"

Katia shrugged then leaned against her desk some. "I should be going over around six. She wants to have dinner together."

"Just dinner?" Bobby was teasing yet his face lacked any joking expression.

Katia sighed, straightened up and shifted closer to her boyfriend. She knelt down in front of him and rested her hands on his knees. "Bobby, we're just friends… Ashley and I."

Bobby's eyes darkened but a sardonic grin curled the corners of his lips. "I'm sure, baby." He leaned forward, his face closer to hers. "As much time as you spend with her it's pretty… friendly."

Katia's earlier expression of softness suddenly hardened. "I am getting so tired of this," she threateningly whispered, "I get this from my friends enough without having my boyfriend add to it." She then brought her tone back up. "Do you have a problem with trust?"

Bobby straightened up, putting space between them again.

Katia lifted an eyebrow much like Ashley would have done. "You do, don't you," she clearly stated then stood up.

"Yeah… just a little bit when your girlfriend hangs out with her friend more than you." Bobby stood up now to match Katia's stance. "Especially when the friend is a fuckin' dyke."

Katia took a single step back, her hands balling up at her side.

"Then it makes you wonder why you're not getting anything," hotly continued Bobby. "And it's probably because your girlfriend is too busy getting fucked by the dyke and loving it."

Katia was breathing heavily, her vision blurred with red, and her resistances to hold back her fists was growing thin. "Bobby," she angrily whispered, "you have ten seconds to leave."

Bobby encouraged his girlfriend's anger by his smug look; he quietly brushed past her towards the door.

Katia turned around on the balls of her feet and carefully watched him.

Bobby opened the door but stood in the doorway as he gazed back at Katia. "Just remember, once I'm in you… you're mine forever." With that, he walked out and slammed the door closed.

Katia closed her eyes and clamped her mouth shut as she controlled the scream from bursting through her lips. She finally unclenched her hands and took a few shaky steps to her desk chair where she sat down. Hunched over, Katia breathed hard and fought with her raging anger.

***

Ashley's warmest smile shaped her soft features when she opened her front door. When Katia lifted her head, she saw how worn and almost emotionless Katia seemed tonight and it made Ashley lose her smile.

"Hey, Ash," quietly greeted Katia.

"Hi." Ashley lifted her right hand and pressed her palm against her friend's cheek. "How are you?"

Katia's eyes drifted closed and she leaned into the warm touch. "Long day."

Ashley could sympathize so she stepped back and whispered, "Come on, it's cold out there."

Katia didn't hesitate to come up the last step and shifted out of the way so that Ashley could close the door. As she unzipped her wool jacket, she idly talked to Ashley. "What is for dinner?" She could pick out the faint but distinct smell of veal. "It smells good… whatever it is."

"I would hope so." Ashley took Katia's jacket and purse and hung them up on the peg board beside her. "It's a little family traditional food." She noticed the instant curiosity on Katia's face that made Ashley grin. She slowly started her way back towards the kitchen so she could check on her food. "My grandparents, on my mom's side, are from Italy."

Katia blinked and paused in the middle of taking a stool on the opposite side of the counter. "I didn't know that." She chuckled at the smirking expression on Ashley's face. "That would explain your dark complexion."

"Doesn't quite explain my height or blue eyes though, huh?"

"Your father does," quickly shot back Katia.

The state trooper merely grinned but she poked her head into the oven. The veal was cooking nicely so she decided to check on the tomato sauce to make sure it was cooking properly. "Actually, my maternal grandfather is tall too."

"A bit out of character for Italians," commented Katia.

Ashley grinned at her friend's perception. "Very true." She picked up a spoon from the left side of her stove and spooned a small amount of the rich tomato sauce, she taste tested it. "That's why mother decided to go back into the family history."

"What'd she find out?" curiously asked Katia.

Ashley was almost satisfied with the sauce but it needed another minute or two. "Well it seems several generations back my family originally came from Greece."

"Really?" Katia blinked for a second. "My mom's side also came from Greece… the north-eastern side though."

Ashley gave a grin as she walked over to the counter where Katia sat on the other side. "Crete."

"Your family started in Crete?" Katia was completely enthralled by Ashley's family history. "That's so amazing."

"I think it is too," teased Ashley. She brushed back a loose strand of her midnight hair. "Where does your father come from?"

Katia sighed as she leaned forward on her elbows. "He doesn't look so Greek huh?"

Ashley laughed as she went back to the stove to shut off the burner. "Not at all, K."

"His parents are from Sweden… they migrated over five years before he was born."

"Really?" That made sense to Ashley and it explained Katia's short height, blond hair, and turquoise eyes. And Cecelia Danforth's dark features explained why Lisa looked so opposite of Katia; the two sisters were night and day.

"Yeah, my grandparents still don't quite know their English yet." Katia chuckled and smiled. "But they firmly believe in love and that it conquerors all."

Ashley smiled. "The ideals of Swedish love."

Katia quietly chuckled and nodded her head. She curiously watched Ashley go into the refrigerator and pull out two small plates of salad.

"This is a Sicilian salad called caponata."

Katia slid off her stool and decided to help by taking the salads from her friend. "I got it." She took them from Ashley and carried them over to the already set table. "What's this made with? It's not your regular garden salad," she joked.

"It has eggplant, olives, capers, and celery."

"Mmmm." Gabrielle's stomach gurgled at the salad's description. "So your family is from Sicily then?"

"Yes," replied the state trooper. She had her back to Katia as she busied herself with getting the veal out, stopping the squash from being lightly cooked.

"You know, Sicilian pizza isn't the best."

Ashley laughed while she was prepping the food onto the plates. "Not the best but a capricciosa pizza is pretty nice."

"I've never had that," admitted Katia as she stepped into the kitchen. "What you want to drink, Ash?"

"I'll just have some water, thanks." Ashley was finishing prepping the two plates by carefully pouring the veal cutlets and yellow, green squash with the sauce marinate. When she was finished, she picked up the plates and followed her friend out of the kitchen to the dining room table. "So how has class been?"

Katia sat down as Ashley place the food in front of her. "Mmmm." She never thought food could smell so good as it did that moment, she was starving. "Classes are really crazy." She was mindful of waiting for Ashley to sit down and pick up her fork first since she did cook tonight.

"When are exams?" Ashley was putting her napkin in her lap and she peered across the table at her friend.

"In a week actually," replied Katia.

The state trooper nodded and picked up her fork finally so they could start dinner.

Katia didn't wait as she picked up her fork and dug directly into the red sauce covered squash. "How was work today?"

"It went well." Ashley was starting with her veal, carefully cutting it into pieces. She knew she hadn't told Katia much of what she was doing at work like she typically would do. She'd come to realize it bothered Katia to some degree so she'd decided to tell a little more than she'd been giving. "I'm actually working on a case with a detective."

Katia perked up at the news, her first glimpse into Ashley's recent work. "Really?" Her normal tilt of her head came into play. "Is this the first time you've worked with a detective?"

"Yes, it's pretty interesting actually." Ashley peered up from her plate. "He's helping me with my case right now."

"That's great," agreed Katia, her voice holding excitement. "Is the case going well?"

The state trooper slowly nodded but without looking up continued to talk. "Yes, it's a big break for the city actually."

Katia blinked, she hadn't realized Ashley's recent work was weighing so heavily. "You've been doing the work on your own until this detective came in?"

"Pretty much," agreed Ashley. "We've had a large break and my captain had to call in this detective since I'm not quite experienced with detective work."

"I bet you're learning a lot," pointed out Katia. She paused in the middle of her eating, her mind more hungry for Ashley's conversation.

"Plenty." Ashley softly grinned then pointed her fork at Katia's plate. "Eat, K." She returned to her own meal. "Don't want you getting any thinner."

The small college student huffed and went back to her food.

The dinner continued on with moderate chitchat between the friends. After dinner, they both cleaned up and did the dishes together in a comfortable silence. Katia was now tipping forward onto the tip of her shoes so she could get a dish on top of a high stack of dishes in the cupboard. She suddenly felt a strong presence behind her and one arm snaked around her waist.

"Got it," murmured Ashley, her right hand took the plate and neatly stacked it on top.

Katia fell back onto the flat of her soles and now both of Ashley's arms wrapped around her stomach. She couldn't resist leaning back into Ashley's protective body and letting the warmth scare the coldness out of her back.

Ashley lowered her head closer to Katia's. "Is everything going okay?" she murmured.

Katia sighed and she closed her eyes, her cheek leaning against Ashley's. "Yeah... things are fine." Her hands came up and clasped over top of Ashley's much larger ones. "Why so worried?"

"Because I care," whispered Ashley. "And because you came in with the worst look on your face."

"I know… I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Ashley squeezed Katia briefly then loosened her hold slightly. "I'm just worried about you."

"I'll be okay," promised Katia, her turquoise eyes finally opened.

Ashley pulled her head back some and was able to carefully study her friend's eyes. "Promise me that you'll call me right away if anything comes up, okay?"

Katia nodded and leaned her face in so she could nuzzle Ashley's neck. "I promise."

"Thank you," murmured the state trooper. She then kissed Katia's temple before asking, "How about a movie?"

Katia's instant reaction was a grin and then a chuckle. "What movie?"

"I thought I'd exploit your improving gay tendency," teased the state trooper.

"You're just so evil," joked Katia, her head coming up. "What's the movie?"

"Better than Chocolate." Ashley tilted her head, a grin on her lips. "I think you'll like it… it's a romantic comedy."

"I already like the title because there's not many things better than chocolate."

Ashley laughed and gave a tight squeeze. "Come on then." She released her friend. "Go get the television on and dvd player started." She went over to the fridge.

"What you getting?" inquired the young woman as she went out of the kitchen.

"Dessert," called Ashley.

"You are a goddess, Ashley Carver," called back Katia. She heard Ashley laugh back at her and Katia had a silly grin. She just realized not only did she enjoy time with Ashley but she was beginning to crave it.

Ashley carried the plate of cannolis over to the living room where she found Katia sitting on the sofa. She carefully slid the dessert plate onto the table for them.

"Oh my god," murmured Katia, her head jerked up. "Did you make these?"

"I slaved over them." Ashley winked and headed back to the kitchen to retrieve napkins.

"Tell me these things are fat free," joked Katia.

The state trooper was chuckling as she came back over. "Sugar free too."

Katia rolled her eyes and took an offered napkin from her friend. After Ashley sat down, Katia pressed play on the dvd remote. "I kinda like that blond." She pointed to the actress on the back of the dvd box, which rested on the coffee table.

Ashley leaned over some as she was pulling a cannoli from the pile. "Christinia Cox… she's a good actress."

Katia now took a cannoli. "Are any of these actresses really gay?"

"Probably not," joked Ashley. She then nudged her friend in the side because the movie had started.

Katia took a bite of her cannoli and she happily moaned.

Ashley lifted her eyebrow at that. "If I knew it only took a cannoli."

Katia suddenly choked between her laughter and the food. "Ashley," she growled after swallowing the food.

The state trooper shrugged innocently and went back to eating and watching.

The friends pretty well cleaned off the plate of cannolis with only one left behind. However throughout the movie each of them picked at the cannoli in a team effort to win. When the cannoli was completely eaten the movie had come to the credits and both women were full.

Katia groaned and slumped down deep into her sofa. "Ash?"

"Mmmm?" Ashley was bent forward, head turned to the left, and her eyes locked on her friend.

Katia grinned at the older woman. "That was amazing."

Ashley quietly laughed then she smiled. "Thanks."

The college student was still smiling as her eyes drifted shut.

"Why don't you stay tonight," offered Ashley.

"Mmmm… I was about to ask that." Katia patted her stomach gently. "I don't feel like driving back." She cracked open one eyes and muttered, "Too comfortable."

"What time you need to get up tomorrow?"

Katia pushed herself up a little and ran her fingers through her hair. "My first class starts at nine so probably like seven or seven-thirty."

"Alright." Ashley stood up and held out her hand.

Katia took the offered help and bounced up onto her feet. She then picked up the crumb covered plate while Ashley turned off the television and dvd player.

"Come on, K." Ashley clasped her hand with Katia's freehand. She slowly led her friend but stopped by the counter. "Here." She took the empty plate and gently placed it on the counter.

The young woman continued to be guided down the dark hallway and into Ashley's room. She had a lopsided grin when she saw her favourite bed; she still wanted to steal that bed from Ashley. Katia took a seat on the side of the bed and started to untie her shoes.

Ashley however went to her dresser and pulled out her pyjamas, a pair of soft sport pants and a teeshirt. She then disappeared into the bathroom.

Katia tilted back some as she slowly unbuttoned her blouse to reveal her white camisole top underneath. If it was one thing Katia had learned to do this winter it was to layer. When she'd set her blouse and Sketcher boots aside, Ashley had appeared at her side.

"You're not going to sleep in jeans."

Katia grinned. "I was considering it." She then faked a cough when Ashley shoved a pair of shorts into her chest.

"I don't think so," muttered the trooper. She then went back into the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth.

"You seriously think these will fit me?" called Katia but when she held them out, she could tell they actually would.

"They're from my Oldfields day… when I was smaller," hollered Ashley.

Katia nodded her agreement when she realized they were green shorts and in white in the corner was written Oldfields. "Hey Ash, what team were you on… green or white?"

"I was a white." Ashley came out of the bathroom, her hair slightly damp from washing her face. "How about you?"

"I was a dragon." Katia now turned around after changing into the shorts. "Green team."

"The green team never won," teased Ashley.

Katia rolled her eyes and walked over to her pile of clothes where she tossed her jeans. "The green team won my… Junior year I think."

"Really?" Ashley was remotely surprised. "After losing for twenty years straight?"

"Hahaha, Ash." Katia pulled the bed sheet covers back and crawled into the bed.

The state trooper did the same and rolled onto her left side. She already found Katia on her side and facing her.

"Ash?" murmured the young woman, she leaned her head in closer to Ashley.

"Mmmm?" Ashley lifted a challenging eyebrow.

"You forget to turn off the bathroom light," teasingly whispered Katia.

Ashley sighed and cursed under her breath as she rolled out of bed.

Katia quietly giggled and waited until her friend got back into bed. She smiled warmly when Ashley slid back into bed with her.

"Better, princess?"

"Mmmm… much." Katia closed her eyes and sighed deeply. "Thanks for letting me stay, Ash."

"You're always welcome to stay." Ashley reached across the small space and brushed back Katia's loose hair.

"Even when you're not here?" Katia's eyes opened, they were even bright in the darkness.

"That's why I gave you a key," reminded the trooper.

Katia opened her mouth but she said nothing, she closed it and chuckled. "By the way," teasingly whispered Katia, "I don't feel like sex tonight."

Ashley's blue eyes flew open and she'd never seen a bigger smirk on her friend's face. "K, I think you already had that with the way you went on with those cannolis."

Katia's mouth instantly widened and she reached under the covers so she could smack Ashley on her side. "You are evil."

"I wasn't getting turned on by the cannoli's like you, K."

"I take my dessert as pure pleasure," protested Katia. "Would you prefer me to be quiet?"

Very quickly a sexy grin appeared on Ashley's face. "Well now…."

"Ashley Carver," hissed Katia. She grumbled and rolled onto her back, her eyes closed again.

"Well I hope all desserts are that pleasurable for you, K."

"Go to sleep," growled Katia but she was clearly grinning.

"Under one condition."

Katia's eyes opened quickly and she turned her head. "Anything to keep you quiet."

"Anything?" purred Ashley.

To further her joke, Katia scooted away.

"Oh come on, K." Ashley stretched her hands out across the distance but didn't touch Katia.

"Ash, you need to get over this attraction for me," bantered Katia.

Ashley laughed and teased, "Katia, you're too sexy to resist."

Katia suddenly laughed and her eyes slightly burned from tears. "Oh god."

"Come here," seriously whispered Ashley.

The young woman softly grinned and scoot closer then rolled onto her side.

Ashley pulled Katia in close until Katia's back pressed against her stomach. "Comfortable?" She carefully snaked her right arm over Katia's stomach.

Katia muttered something and she positioned her head so that Ashley's left arm went under her head. "You comfortable?"

"Yes, don't worry." Ashley kissed Katia's temple. "Go to sleep."

Katia chuckled then let out a content sigh. "Ashley?"

The state trooper pretended to give an annoyed sigh. "Yesss?"

"Am I really sexy?"

"You could be," teased Ashley.

"Ugh." Katia rolled her eyes under her lids and decided to leave the topic alone. She knew Ashley wouldn't reveal anything so as long as she was dating somebody. Katia was starting to really see Bobby as a huge pain in the ass in many ways. Her thoughts continued to wonder off and it eventually started to put her to sleep.

Ashley finally closed her eyes when Katia's breathing went slower. She sucked in one last deep breath and whispered, "Siete bei a me, Katia."

Katia was almost asleep when she heard Ashley's last words. They made no sense to her but she did recognize one thing about them, they were Italian. It was her last mental note to ask Ashley about them later then she drifted asleep.

**To be continued.**


	24. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

Maryland State Trooper Ashley Carver adjusted her trooper issued belt into place around her waist. She then slowly turned around and studied her best friend soundlessly sleeping in the middle of her bed. It brought a warm yet distant look on Ashley's face. Turning back around, she freed her cell phone from its charger and clipped it against her side.

Ashley silently walked to the right side of the bed and picked up the alarm clock on her nightstand. She reset the time so that Katia would get up in an hour. She then carefully lowered the alarm clock back and bent over the bed.

Katia shifted out of her dreams some and rolled onto her back. She blinked out some haze from her eyes then realized a set of blue ones were staring over her. It brought a sleepy smile to her lips and she reached up.

Ashley met her halfway and clasped hands with her friend. "Go back to sleep," she murmured.

"What time is it?"

The trooper gently squeezed the smaller hand and whispered, "A little after six." She then lowered Katia's hand back to her side. "I'll see you later."

"See yah, Ash," muttered the young woman. "Have a good day."

"You too." Ashley took a quick second to pull Katia's covers over her then she slipped out of the bedroom.

Katia rolled over onto her side again and snuggled deeper into the warm bed. For a moment she grumbled when she realized her cuddle buddy was now gone but regardless she was able to drift back off.

After a few minutes, Katia turned over and something on her side slightly jarred her awake. Maybe it was the slight shot of pain through her side or the fact she realized water droplets were crashing onto her side. Katia forced her eyes open and when her fuzzy vision formed into shapes and objects she was clearly no longer in Ashley's bedroom. As she started to lift herself up, her hands scraped across wet asphalt and when Katia was finally on her feet, her aching stomach made itself apparent.

Katia stumbled forward a few feet and lurched forward, her right hand on a trunk of a car. Her eyes rammed shut as she hunched over and brought up the contents contained in her stomach. After it was all forced out, she wiped her mouth clean but with the distinct taste of vile in her mouth also came blood. That instinctively made Katia open her eyes and in the street lit darkness she was able to make out the blood smearing all over her hand from a deep wound. Now she realized where that ugly stinging was coming from on her hand. She tried to ignore it by fisting up her hand more, which only momentarily increased the pain.

"God," she murmured as her head dipped forward, her eyes closed once more. Once she inhaled a few shaky breaths, Katia's eyes drifted open and focused on the trunk of the car she was supported by. In silver lettering were the letters "190E" around the golden metallic body of the trunk. It quickly struck Katia that it was her car and before she even lifted her head back up she knew she was in the parking lot for her dorm.

With her uninjured hand, she brushed back her soaked hair and encouraged her body to make its way across the quiet parking lot. Katia slowly made her way across the parking lot but the weight of her wet clothes and strained body made it hard. As she stepped onto the side walked that lead to her dorm, she paused at hearing the distant purr of an idle truck engine. Katia urged her body to straighten up and she turned her head in the direction of the truck's sound because it was so distinct to her. Harder and harder she tried to scan for the truck that she was sure she was hearing. Then far off onto the Campus Avenue several hundreds of feet away she was ninety percent sure she saw a distant but gleaming yellow truck under a street lamp.

Katia felt a sharp shot of sensation jolt her body and it made her turn back around to where she first awoke on the ground of the parking lot. She stared at where her car was parked in the middle of the large lot and her eyes narrowed. Suddenly a blunt memory jumped out of the recess of her mind and struck her hard.

Katia was being thrown out of some automobile onto the wet asphalt of the pavement. Her body harshly colliding against the black ground and the rain already engulfed her. Then there were two male voices talking back and forth that Katia couldn't decipher at all. Then a slam of a heavy automobile door but it was more distant as if on the passenger side. Katia was about to try and get herself up but then two strong hands rolled her onto her stomach and held her tightly down. Her face was pressed down into the gritty asphalt and almost hard enough to cut off her breathing.

The memory continued to strike Katia just as the powerful hand had struck her in the back of the head. Then the man had pressed his knee against the centre of her back to effortlessly hold her down. Yet it was his lips close to her left ear that was clearer than anything else about the memory. His distinct breathing and heated breath brushed her ear but then it was his faint but lucid words the jarred her out of the memory.

"Once I'm in you, you're mine forever."

Katia suddenly exploded from the bed, the bed sheets completely tossed off her sweating body. "Oh my… god," she gently cried. Her head dipped forward into her hands and tears instantly struck her.

Then her stomach convulsed against the dream and Katia jumped from the bed. When she made it into the bathroom, she crashed to her knees in front of the toilet. As soon as she had the lid up, her head was hung over and she was throwing up last night's meal.

After several minutes of dry heaving, Katia fell back until her back hit the small wall behind her. She closed her eyes as her head fell against the wall. She breathed heavily and she tried to calm her shaking body but she knew it would take awhile. Yet slowly her dreams filtered back into her mind and she knew they were anything but dreams but memories surfacing.

"That bastard," whispered Katia, her voice raw and cut.

Then suddenly Katia felt extremely dirty.

She forced her body up and she turned to the shower. Quickly she had the shower on and the water was steaming hot by the time Katia go in it. She was under the cascading water that burned against her milky white skin and the steam enveloped her.

Katia bit her lower lip as her skin began to scream against the hot water flowing over her body. The burning was painful yet refreshing as it seemed to wash away the invisible dirt that oozed over Katia's body. Yet it was the return of her memories that caused her to cry again and her scolding tears mixed with the hot water. Her body felt weaker than before and Katia lowered herself onto the floor of the tub, her legs pulled up and her arms wrapped around. Her face dug deep between her arms and legs while the hot water continued to beat against her back.

***

Katia was walking from her dorm to her Chesapeake Bay class across campus. She then heard her name being called so she stopped and turned. She instantly smiled.

"Hey Katia."

"Hi, Hale." Katia returned the warm hug from her friend.

"How are you doing, sweetie?" Haley Danver joined her friend's side for the walk across campus.

"Okay," replied Katia but her voice held notes of question. "You?"

"Pretty good." Haley beamed one of her brightest, laughing smiles and she did manage a silly grin from her friend. "Hey you going to the party tonight?"

"Tonight?" asked the surprised friend. "No, didn't know about it."

"Really?" Haley lifted an eyebrow. "I'm surprised Bobby hasn't asked you to go."

Katia's stomach automatically pitched at the name. "Yeah… I haven't seen him today… yet."

"Hmmmm." Haley adjusted her pack and noted the science building ahead. "Well let me know if you're going."

"I doubt it," offered Katia. "I have too much work to do before exams."

Haley rolled her eyes. "You're in college, Katia." She stopped and pointed a finger at her friend. "Not high school."

Katia laughed and spun around as she walked backwards. "See you, Hale."

"See you, sweetie." Haley winked and went in her separate direction yet something bothered her about Katia.

Katia headed for her usual spot in the classroom. Erin was already there and she easily slipped into her chair next to her roommate.

"Missed you last night," teased Erin.

Katia gave a half smile. "Yea I stayed at Ashley's."

"I know," quickly stated the roommate. "How was everything?"

"Really good," admitted Katia. "We had a good night."

"I'm glad." Erin then was about to comment on more but her attention was redirected to Bobby Fluehr coming down the side steps to his spot.

Bobby sat in the row ahead of Katia and Erin and when he was near them, he paused and smiled to his girlfriend. "You coming to the party tonight?"

Katia dipped her head some then peered back up at him. "I heard about it. Are you going?"

"Of course." Bobby's expression slightly darkened. "You're coming, right?"

"I don't… think so," answered Katia. "Too much work."

Bobby shook his head and said nothing else as he took his seat.

Erin glanced at her friend, whom wasn't looking back at her. Erin's eyes narrowed some and she kept her comments quiet.

The lecture from the professor was of its usual entertainment. It also ran a little late but the students quickly ran out when it was finished. Katia remained in her chair while Erin was getting up and packing her stuff.

"Aren't you coming?" asked the confused roommate.

"Yeah." Katia slowly stood but her attention was fully on her boyfriend at the opposite end of the lecture hall. He was busy talking to one of his buddies.

"What is it, Katia?" Erin tightly clasped her friends arm.

Katia snapped her head around and quietly said, "Go on without me, Erin."

Erin glanced to Bobby then back at her roommate. "Alright." She gave a comforting squeeze of Katia's arm, gathered her book bag, and left.

Katia slowly packed her stuff and from the corner of her eye she watched Bobby. By the time she had her bag full and closed up Bobby had finished talking to his friend. So she headed across the lecture hall to him and he noticed her right away.

"Hey baby," murmured Bobby when she was close.

"Hey," greeted Katia. "Ready?" She nodded towards the doors.

Bobby answered by walking up the steps to leave.

Katia swallowed and follow behind him. "So who is that friend of yours?"

"Oh Joey?" Bobby shrugged but flung open the glass door to leave the building. "An old friend from high school days."

"Oh." Katia stepped outside and paused for her boyfriend. "Never met him."

"He's okay."

"You seem to talk to him often," pointed out Katia.

Bobby gave an inquisitive look at his girlfriend but ignored her comment. "So are you really busy with work or just don't want to go out tonight?"

"On a school night… not really," admitted Katia. "If it was Thursday then maybe I would go."

Bobby refrained from rolling his eyes so he remained quiet but by then they were already at Katia's dorm.

Katia paused at the door to the Severn dorm. "You don't think you shouldn't go to this party?"

Bobby stared at Katia for a moment. "Katia… you know I go to every party I can."

"Yeah I know but... maybe we can spend the night together?"

"You just said you were going to study tonight." Bobby's tone was growing annoyed at his girlfriend.

"After I do some studying," quickly cleared up Katia. "Come on… we've hardly spent time together."

Bobby was surprised by his girlfriend's sudden change of attitude today. She normally refused to spend time with him lately, which made him wonder what was going on anyway. "No… I promised to go with my friends, Katia." He shrugged and took a small step back. "Sorry, Katia. Maybe tomorrow," he offered.

Katia faintly nodded. "Definitely," she promised then her rare but fake smile caressed her lips. "I'll talk to you later." And with that, she quickly turned to avoid any further contact and she pushed through the door.

Bobby stood there staring for a moment then he finally turned to leave.

Katia's right foot touched the first step that lead upstairs but she paused and turned her head around. She stared out the window in the main door. She watched Bobby's shrinking form in the distance. Her teeth grounded some and her head unconsciously shook. She then turned back around and sprung up the steps to get to the second floor. When she entered her room, Erin and Sara were there relaxing in bed together.

"Hey girl," greeted Sara.

Katia flashed a warm smile to her friend but she went to her desk. "How are yah, Sara?"

"Gay as ever," joked the lesbian.

Katia kept her head down yet she rolled her eyes. "Sadly," she muttered.

"I heard that," shot back Sara.

Erin inwardly groaned but she asked, "Everything okay with you two?" When her roommate's head popped up, she gave a curious look.

Katia nodded once then sat down at her desk chair. "Yeah we're fine, Er." She shrugged as she bent forward to retrieve her textbooks. "We were just talkin' about the party tonight."

"You going?" cut in Sara, mild surprise lacing her voice.

"Definitely not," replied Katia. "I have too much work."

Sara merely nodded and settled back down against Erin's side where she was comfortably snuggled. "Yeah I hear yah. We have a huge project in our bio class but we don't have an exam."

"It's your exam, right?" urged Erin.

"Pretty much."

Katia sighed and looked at her roommate. "You taking the bay exam?"

"I don't know," admitted Erin, "I was surprised the professor made it optional."

"I was surprised too." Katia briefly shook her head then turned in her chair and she booted up her laptop. "Either of you going to the party tonight?"

"No, we're keeping the party here in bed," joked Sara.

"Not in this bed in this room with me." Katia shot a dark but teasing look at her friends. She then pulled her focus from them and went back to her laptop to check her email.

The two girlfriends shrugged and went back to each other with a few low whispers.

Katia briefly listened to them yet eventually toned them out as she focused on her email. When she got into her internet email, a smile eased across her soft features. She didn't hesitate to click on Ashley's email. It was a brief, simple email from her best friend just wishing her to have a good day and to let her know she's loved by Ashley.

Katia had picked up a pen on her desk earlier. She now silently tapped it against the desk as she read and reread Ashley's email several times. Eventually she stopped and her eyes glossed over when her thoughts took her much further away.

Bobby kept flashing in her mind, her dreams. Her skin was crawling and her anger that lay so dormant and locked down was finally unleashing in her. She had never saw it before but now it was in front of her, she couldn't ignore it nor would she any longer. She was not going to harbour a rapist or leave him free to attack as he pleased.

Katia knew tonight's party would be taken to Bobby's advantage to hunt for a victim.

Katia quickly retracted from her thoughts and she immediately grabbed her cell phone. She flipped it open and within a minute she had a text punched up to Ashley. After she sent it, she stood up, which grabbed her friends' attention.

***

Ashley Carver came out of her bathroom, towelling her face, when she heard her cell phone buzz with a new text. She went to her dresser and picked up her small gold cell phone, with a quick flip the text opened up on the tiny screen.

The state trooper felt her body get an instant charge of rush, her heartbeat two speeds faster. "Oh god no," she whispered. She tossed the hand towel onto the foot of her bed and immediately dialled a number. As her phone rang, she hastily grabbed her badge, gun, and hand cuffs from their hidden home in her dresser drawer. She knew Gunner still had to be at the barracks.

"Gunner, this is Carver. We have a serious issue." Ashley shoved her gun in between her jeans and tee shirt but made sure her tee shirt covered her gun's handle that protruded out. She then unhooked her cell phone from its power plug. She scooped up her handcuffs and badge as she started her way out of her bed room. "Katia Danvers is headed to confront Fluehr about the rapes." She was talking as fast as she was moving. She grabbed her black leather jacket from the peg board next to her house door. "I'm going now. Bring backup and the arrest warrant now. Meet you there." Ashley flipped her phone closed as she swung open the house door. She rushed out of the door, swinging her jacket on, and slamming the door in a rush. She's had numerous adrenaline charges but this time she was fuelled by her greatest fears.

***

Katia took a steady breath then knocked on Bobby's door.

"Yeah," called Bobby's voice and he opened the door. "Katia?" Remote surprised flashed across his features. "What you doing here?"

"I came to talk." Katia could already tell that Bobby was about to leave for the part tonight. His clothes were much nicer than what he normally wore, a pair of loose jeans and a button up long sleeve shirt.

Bobby straightened up at hearing how his girlfriend's tone was cold; colder than he's ever experienced. "Alright." He stepped to the side and watched his girlfriend enter. After he closed the door, he gradually walked over to his small fridge. "What's up, babe?"

Katia walked over to his bed then turned back around. She noted his roommate was gone, which she was relieved about but then not quite either. In her mind, that left too many variables and options for Bobby. "You're going to this party tonight, right?"

"Um… yeah." Bobby's face was a mix of annoyance and questioning. He knew something was wrong and he didn't like where this conversation was going to go. He touched the door of the fridge and asked, "You want something to drink?"

Katia consider it actually because she'd pretty much ran across campus to catch him before he left. She shrugged and straightened up from leaning against the bed board. "Yeah sure."

Bobby mutely nodded, opened the fridge, and pulled out a bottle of his own water. He then came over to Katia and silently handed it to her.

Katia took it and oddly noted the cap was already broken open but she figured Bobby merely recycled the bottles. She turned to her left some, drank a bit of the water, and watched her boyfriend sit on his bed. "Sara said ya'll have a huge project in bio?"

"Yeah… it's pretty much our exam," agreed Bobby. "Why?"

"Well why aren't you staying and doing that… instead of the party?" Katia tilted her head some then took another long drink of her water.

Bobby kept his features calm even though he was growing angry inside. "Because I have plenty of time to do it, Katia."

"Not according to Sara."

Bobby stared in slight disbelief at Katia. "I have the whole damn weekend, Katia." He suddenly stood up. "What is this? Some goddamn lecture?"

Katia had to tilt her head back a little to gaze up at him. "You're not going to this party, Bobby." Nervousness instantly ripped through her stomach and her body started shaking.

"The hell I'm-"

"I know about the raping… the drugs," cut off Katia.

Bobby stared at her then surprisingly laughed as he walked away. "Where the hell did you come up with this shit, Katia?" He turned around again. "Who you've been talking to?"

"Does it matter?" Katia put her bottle of half empty water down on the roommate's desk. "I've known for awhile."

"Who the hell have you heard this bullshit from?"

"Why does it matter?" protested Katia. "You think I wanted to hear this shit about my boyfriend, huh?"

"Probably," snidely remarked Bobby.

Katia took a few steps closer to her boyfriend but a wave of dizziness struck her, keeping her from getting closer to Bobby. "God," she muttered, her hand touching her forehead but she looked at him again. "I'm not going to hide you any longer, Bobby."

Bobby shifted quickly to his door and locked it as he kept his front to his girlfriend. "Those campus cops wouldn't listen to you anyway, Katia." He took a step closer.

Katia backed up once and quickly grabbed for her cell phone in her back pocket.

Bobby was faster and he grabbed his girlfriend's hand. He ripped the cell phone from her hand. "I always hated that cop of yours." He threw the cell phone roughly against the wall to his side. The LG phone shattered on impact, antenna and battery flying in different directions from the body.

"Get the fuck off, Bobby," growled Katia when he started grabbing her. With quick reaction, she kneed him in the stomach, which caused him to back off momentarily. Katia tried to move around him but he was faster and her body was suddenly sluggish, weak, and her vision was hazy.

Bobby had his arm around her waist and was lifting her some. "I'm not stupid, Katia. You'll blackout any minute." He shoved her onto his bed.

Katia hit the bed hard; the dizziness struck her harder though. Then she realized why she was suddenly feeling so sick. "You bastard… you drugged that water."

Bobby didn't hesitate to get over top of her and pin her. "You have about five minutes before it completely kicks in, Katia.."

"Something is about to be kicked in," angrily promised Katia. She quickly loosened her right leg and rammed it between her boyfriend's legs. While Bobby was yelling in pain and releasing her, she roughly pushed him off her and the bed. Katia hastily rolled out of the bed and raced for the door.

Bobby was slowly getting up, his breathing heavy, and his expression angry. "Katia!" he yelled.

Katia glanced back as she got the door open. She didn't wait any longer as she ran out of the room and down the hall to the doorway for the stairwell. When she rounded the corner of the doorway, she came to a dead stop at the top of the steps. Her vision went in circles as she stared down the long flight of steps. "Oh god," she moaned and turned her head when she clearly heard Bobby coming after her.

Katia grabbed onto the railing in hopes it'd lead her down safely and she moved as fast as she could down the steps without tumbling. She got to the bottom of one flight and rounded the bend to come to the second flight. As she tried to move quickly down that flight, she heard Bobby coming down the first set.

"Katia," hollered Bobby. There were loud booms as his heavy boots pounded on each step. He quickly caught up to her since she was moving so slowly. He was two steps behind her so he reached out to grab her shoulder.

Katia screamed and her balance was thrown off by his pulling. She missed the next step and her wave of dizziness kept her from catching herself. Katia went diving for the last ten steps hitting them face first and rolling down the last few until she slammed into the concrete landing below.

Bobby paused momentarily at seeing Katia come to a stop and bleeding from the forehead.

Katia shifted her right hand some and tried to push up but the drug finally took her. She blacked out and all she heard was her name being yelled.

**To be continued.**


	25. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

She heard her name called again but a little softer and closer than last time.

"Katia…"

She managed to open her eyes and her fuzzy vision slowly pulled into focus, little by little.

"Katia… come on… Katia?"

She finally sensed the ground under her right when her eyes honed in on the soft and beautiful features of Ashlinn K. Carver. "Ashley?" she breathed.

"Hey," whispered the state trooper. Her right hand seemed to appear from no where and touched Katia's cheek.

Katia leaned into the touch and she let out a faint sigh. She was about to ask a question yet the sound of Ashley's voice stopped her.

"Come on, K… get up."

Katia honestly wasn't sure if she could because she now recalled taking the worst fall down those steps. After a second she realized her body didn't hurt at all; it actually felt pretty good. She shifted her hands under her and started to sit up with Ashley's support.

"I got you," promised Ashley as she helped her young friend up onto her feet.

Katia blinked and stared at her surroundings. "Whaaa…"

"It's okay," ushered the state trooper. She then took her best friend's hand, linked them together, and urged her to follow.

And Katia did follow with complete trust yet she curiously studied her surroundings from top to bottom. She was completely lost how she could go from being at the bottom of a flight of steps to a tall grass field in the middle of nowhere. "Ashley-"

"It's okay," cut off the trooper, "just follow me."

Katia closed her half open mouth and remained silent. Well she did once silently promise her and Ashley that she would follow Ashley anywhere. She figured this would be one of those times. Slowly she noticed they were climbing up a hill and as they went up the gentle breeze grew. For several steps, Katia just closed her eyes and enjoyed the sensation, something similar to flying. When she opened her eyes again she was on top of the hill and beside her best friend looking over an amazing view. For once, Katia could not say anything.

Ashley also remained quiet as she studied the view. It was rare times like this that made her feel more alive than ever. She quietly glanced over at her friend and smiled at how memorized Katia was by the beauty.

Katia's vision was filled by glowing hills of grass that rolled on infinitely. Then occasionally she would catch sight of a cloud's shadow racing across the hills. The wind was scented with delicate flowers' blossoms and the gentle taste of vanilla. The peacefulness washed over her.

Then Katia came out of the trance and her left hand rhythmically pulsed with the warmth of Ashley. Her hand was so tightly holding onto Ashley's that they were linked chains. Nothing would break their hold. And it was in that warmth that Katia was discovering her own self acceptance.

Gradually Katia turned and faced her best friend. She instantly melted to Ashley's soft blue eyes that seemed to control the blue of the sky around them. "Where are we?" she murmured.

Ashley softly smiled. "Does it really matter?"

Katia opened her mouth for a quick reply but it fell short. She closed her mouth and considered it a second time. Her crooked smile appeared. "Not really."

"I will tell you this," quietly started Ashley. She bent her head down closer to Katia's. "This is my peace." She tilted her head a little. "And I'm sharing it with you, only you."

"Thank you," whispered Katia.

Ashley's soft smile shifted warmer. "One of the things I've come to learn and sometimes still learning at times is never to take anybody's expectations." She noted the questioning tilt of her friend's head so she continued. "When I was younger I took on a lot of my parents' expectations, especially my father's. Eventually it almost broke me… destroyed who I am." She paused so she could gather her next words carefully. "I've watched you do the same, K… over and over. It breaks my heart to watch it yet I know you have to realize it before you can stop it. It has to come from you no matter what I do or say."

Katia's head lowered some but she peered back up. "I think I have finally come to realize that. I'm just not sure where to go from here."

"That's the best part," gently whispered Ashley. "You get to choose… finally. Fill your own expectations and learn who you are and what you want."

Katia silently considered that and she understood what her friend meant now. In some ways it was scary because it was like having to start over again but at the same time it felt freeing.

"I'm still learning myself too," quietly reminded Ashley, "I think I always will be. But…."

Katia had a lopsided smile. "But maybe we can do that together?" she offered.

"Maybe we can do that together," agreed Ashley. "We can help each other."

"I'd like that… a lot," murmured Katia.

Ashley lowered her head down close to Katia's. "Me too," she whispered.

Katia held tight when Ashley's face came so close to her own. Her thundering heartbeat was so clear in her chest and her body alive with anticipation. Then when she closed her eyes her lips were gently brushed by Ashley's full lips. Katia released a soft moan that was echoed back by Ashley. Then she sensed Ashley's other warm hand pressing tenderly against her cheek. And Katia leaned further into the kiss.

Then suddenly Katia felt lighter and it seemed as if her eyes couldn't open. Her lips tingled hotly and Ashley was no longer near her. Yet her left hand still warmed endlessly with Ashley's touch that seemed to grow stronger. Katia sensed the cold air growing around her in the darkness but the warmth in her clasped hand also grew stronger and encased her whole body bit by bit.

The sweet smell of vanilla and flower blossoms faded out and was soon replaced by a distinct sterilized smell. Even though her body was warmed by Ashley's hand in her own her head began to gently pound. Katia moaned softly against the rhythmic pain.

"Katia."

She heard Ashley's voice again, distant but there.

"Katia."

She moaned a little more when her body signalled her with a dull ache in most of her joints. Yet she knew Ashley's voice was growing stronger, closer. And now her eyes didn't feel so locked and she started forcing them open. The darkness around her was growing lighter and brighter.

"Come on, Katia," encouraged Ashley's warm voice. "I'm here."

Katia's body focused on the feeling of Ashley's hand in her own while her eyes tried to open. Then suddenly her eyes were blinded by streaming white florescent lights over head. "Oh god," she moaned and rolled her head to the right.

"Hey," whispered Ashley.

Katia's vision was taken up by Ashley's smiling face. "Ash?"

"Hey yeah… I'm here." Ashley carefully touched her friend's closest cheek. "How you feel?"

Katia groaned and muttered, "Like I flew down a flight of steps and smashed into a wall."

The state trooper softly laughed.

Then Katia realized Ashley's was starting to cry. "Ashley?" She pushed up some but Ashley quickly pushed her back down.

"It's okay," promised the state trooper.

"It will be soon as you give me a hug," urged the young woman.

Ashley only smiled because she knew she couldn't refuse Katia. So she leaned forward and wrapped one arm carefully around Katia. That was when Katia realized that she was still holding onto Ashley's right hand and she wasn't sure for how long now. But she noted Ashley wasn't making any effort to break the contact at all and she wasn't about to either.

"Okay?" gently questioned Katia when Ashley released her.

"Yeah." Ashley straightened up some but Katia, quickly as she could, had her hand against Ashley's cheek. Ashley smiled some as her friend took a second to wipe her tears away.

"I must have really scared you."

Ashley nodded and completely straightened up when her friend was finished. "You've been out for three days now."

"Three?" Katia shook her head. "I'm going to have a lot of homework to do." She hoped her joke would pay off and it seemed to as Ashley laughed.

"Nothing you can't handle," promised Ashley.

Katia grinned a little then her focus went past Ashley and she noted a chair right behind Ashley. She furrowed her eyebrows and peered up at her best friend. "How long have you been here?"

"The entire time."

Katia stared at her older friend and wondered for a moment. "The entire time?"

"Pretty much." Ashley faintly grinned then joked, "Other than to go to the bathroom."

Katia chuckled but fell short because she was so surprised by Ashley's dedication. She then took a moment to sit up and received help from Ashley. After she got situated she said, "Tell me what happened."

Ashley considered it but nodded and took her chair again. "What was the last thing you remember?"

Katia shook her head as she stared at their interlocked hand. "Somebody yelling for me after I fell down the steps. After that I think I blacked out from the drug."

"Between that and hitting the wall," agreed the state trooper. She then noticed how Katia was starting to rub her thumb across Ashley's first couple of knuckles. "That was me yelling for you up the steps."

That caught Katia's attention and she focused on her best friend.

"Katia!"

Bobby stopped dead on the last step and peered over the railing.

Ashley came to a stop on her step and she was about two flights down from the pair. She tilted her head back and her eyes locked on Bobby Fluehr. "Stop!" She yelled as reached for her gun at her belt waist. "Don't move, Bobby!" She aimed her gun at him and slowly started coming up the steps.

Bobby didn't flinch but his breathing was heavy then he panicked. He suddenly spun around and sprung up the steps as fast as he could.

"Stop!" order the state trooper but he wasn't stopping so Ashley raced up the flights of steps. Yet by the time she made it to the landing where Katia rested unconscious Bobby Fluehr was already out of the stairwell and back in the dorm. Ashley growled and bent down beside her best friend. She started inspecting Katia's injuries while pulling out her radio. Her right fingertips became lightly coated with Katia's blood from her forehead.

"Fluehr is loose in the dorm building. I've found Danforth and she's unconscious. Call in for the ambulance now." Her voice echoed through the entire stairwell.

"Ambulance on the way, Carver. Where is Danforth?" squelched back Gunner's voice over the radio. "We have all entrances blocked off to the dorm."

Ashley lifted her radio back up. "Danforth is on the fifth stairwell. I'm not moving her. Proceeding into the dorm."

"Roger. Fluehr's room number is nine-one-five, Carver."

"Roger," answered back the state trooper. Once last time she checked Katia and knew there was nothing she could until the ambulance arrived. She realized it would be completely unsafe to move her. Then she was about to stand but the sound of footsteps coming down the steps above her made her stop. She dropped her head back and saw a young woman making her way down.

"Oh my god, what happened?" called the worried girl. She hurried down the last set of steps to Ashley and Katia.

"I'm state trooper Ashley Carver, what's your name?"

"It's Hanna, whaaa…"

"It's okay," promised the state trooper. "I need you to do me a favour, Hanna. Stay here with this girl, her name is Katia."

Hanna finally looked at Katia and her face lit up in realization. "That's the girl from my bay class."

"Can you stay here with her for me? The ambulance will be here shortly."

"Of course," quickly replied Hanna.

"Thank you." Ashley briefly touched the girl's shoulder then rushed up the steps. She slowed down some as she came into the dorm hallway, too concerned to cause a commotion. She only caught sight of a few students here and there but nobody was paying her much mind. She hurried down the hall and scanned the room numbers as she went. After rounding a corner, she saw room numbers nine thirteen, nine fourteen then finally nine fifteen and the door was wide open.

She carefully entered the room and found it empty. "Damn," she muttered while scanning over the room with her sharp vision.

"Carver?" called Gunner.

The state trooper turned to the detective in the doorway. "Have you found him?"

"No," clipped the detective.

Ashley lifted her radio. "Units, has anybody seen Fluehr at the doors?"

"Negative," came two replies over the radio.

As Ashley lowered her radio she noted the campus police officer joining them.

"He's most likely on the roof," informed the campus officer.

"Lead the way," ordered Gunner.

The campus officer hurried down the hall with the two other officers following behind them. The eventually came to a new set of stairs that only lead up for three flights. They all rushed up them and came through the top door to only be hit by the cool air of early winter. The three officers all spread out on the massive roof, looking for their suspect.

Ashley Carver noticed two bars that came over the edge of the roof; it looked to be a fire escape ladder. She quickly approached it and peered over the edge. "Stop!" she yelled and retrieved her gun.

Bobby Fluehr dropped his head back and cursed at the state trooper. He knew she wouldn't shoot him but that did encourage him to go faster down the ladder.

"Damn it," hissed Ashley and she shoved her gun away then quickly started down the ladder to catch him.

Gunner and the campus cop rushed over and gazed over the ledge. Gunner lifted his radio. "All units, suspect is on east side of the building." He then looked at the campus officer. "Stay here," he ordered then ran off.

Ashley Carver was racing as fast as she could down the ladder. She knew she wouldn't be able to catch Bobby and by the time the other officers arrived it'd be too late. Her mind quickly raced with a plan to stop him and there was only one thing she could do. So she put her plan into motion when Bobby Fluehr's feet hit the ground.

Sergeant Carver took a deep breath and suddenly pushed off the ladder. She went soaring through the air, about fifty feet up in the air and falling fast.

Bobby Fluehr was just starting to move. As he took his first few running steps, he was suddenly slammed by a heavy, large weight that sent him crashing face first into the pavement. He knew immediately who it was and despite the immense pain now scorching his body and rolled onto his back. He threw a wild punch at Ashley.

Ashley took the hit directly on her right side of the face. She growled and tried to gain control of his hands by the wrist. But she wasn't fast enough as he rolled them both to the right and she found herself underneath him. She had to admit she was slightly impressed by his strength.

"You fuckin' dyke," hissed Bobby. "You should have kept out of this."

Ashley slightly grinned at that, which only seemed to infuriate Bobby because he landed a hard punch to Ashley's stomach. She only showed a wince to the extreme pain and quickly reacted by lifted her lower half up as fast and as hard as she could. That sent Bobby flying over her and rolling onto his back. As fast as lightening, she rolled onto her feet, crouched down, and her gun was back out.

Bobby Fluehr was getting up found the gun pointed at him. "You're not gonna shoot me." He straightened up.

The state trooper simultaneously straightened up with him. "Don't move, Fluehr because I will shoot." 

"Not without reasonable cause," reminded Fluehr. He then took a step back, knowing if he didn't make his move now he would be stopped by the other officers. He suddenly spun and started running.

"Stop!" yelled Ashley but she took aim. Her eyes honed in on their target then she pulled the trigger.

"Oh god, Ashley," cut in Katia's voice.

Ashley merely smirked at her best friend and sighed while contently leaning back in her chair. "Don't worry, he's locked up in the county jail until his trial."

Katia felt relieved at hearing her best friend hadn't killed Bobby Fluehr. Although she knew Ashley probably wanted to more than anything. "How did you stop him anyway?"

"Shot him in the leg," supplied the trooper with a shrug.

Katia stared at her friend. Well she had to agree that shooting somebody in the leg would certainly immobilize them quickly. "Why didn't you defend yourself when you two were wrestling?"

The state trooper shifted some in her chair. "It just looks better on the report. He can't point any fingers. But I really wouldn't have mind…."

"I know," muttered Katia, "I know."

Ashley shook her head and quietly said, "He'll be found guilty and that's his punishment. Not my place to carry it out."

Katia squeezed her friend's hands in pride. She knew how hard it must have been for Ashley but she knew Ashley was a firm believer in the law and justice. "I guess I must have eventually gotten my ride in the ambulance."

Ashley silently nodded but then spoke up. "Hanna stayed with you… she even rode in the ambulance with me."

"God," breathed Katia. "I'll have to thank her. I do remember her from my class. She's always seemed nice."

"She really was," agreed the state trooper. She and Katia were quiet for a moment then Katia broke the silence.

"When do you think they'll let me out of here?"

"I'm not sure," confessed Ashley. "I'm sure they'll have to check over you. Make sure the drug is out of your system, which I'm sure it is by now. How are you feeling though?"

"My head has a mild headache, joints kinda ache… that's about it."

"Good." Before Ashley could say anymore, she saw the doctor enter the room.

"I see our patient is finally up." He smiled at Katia and came to the other side of bed, opposite of the state trooper. "Hello, Katia I'm Doctor Nethers, I've been taking care of you since you've arrived."

"Thank you, doctor." Katia offered a warm smile.

"How are you feeling?" He leaned over her and began checking her head first.

"Well I was just telling Ashley that I feel a small headache and my joints ache a little."

"Good, good. The headache will stop by tomorrow and your joints should be fine in a few days. Nothing serious just normal." Doctor Nethers continued checking over her. "We picked up rohypnol in your blood stream when you first arrived."

"Yes," agreed the college student, "I'd drank water that had some in it."

"Thought as much." The doctor shifted away from Katia and studied the IV next the bed, checking the liquid that was left in the bag. "It should be clear out by now. How is your memory?" He glanced over the brim of his glasses at the young woman. "Recall the last events?"

"Yes I do." Katia was relieved when the doctor smiled at her.

"Wonderful." He turned back to the pair. "Well its quarter to noon now and I'd like for you to stay until the mid afternoon. Just to make sure of everything."

"That's fine," readily agreed Katia.

"Excellent." He walked to the end of the bed and put his clipboard back at the foot of the bed on the hook. He then shifted his focus to Ashley. "May I speak with you, Sargent Carver?"

"Of course." Ashley stood up and gave a tender squeeze to Katia's hand. "I'll be back."

"I know," murmured Katia. She watched her friend and the doctor leave the room and close the door behind them. For the first time, Katia gave a careful study of her room and she found it pretty bare until she found the window. On the windowsill were several arrangements of flowers and it almost made her groan. She tried to read some of the cards but they were too far except for one that had relatively large hand writing. Her breath caught when she recognized her own mother's hand writing. "Oh great… I can only imagine what they think." Katia let it go for now knowing there was nothing she could do about it. If anything she was relieved that her family knew what was going on despite she'd have to explain most of it. Her attention was suddenly grabbed by the large wood door opening up again.

The tall, dark state trooper entered and came over to her spot beside Katia's bed. She clasped her hand with Katia's once again. "Doctor Nethers is confident that you're well. He is a little concerned about your sleeping so he might ask you to come in the start of next week." She watched Katia nod then she went on with her discussion. "Also your family is in the area… the college had to call them to report what happened."

"Yeah… I saw the flowers from them." Katia signalled to them.

Ashley glanced at them then back down. "I just called them at the hotel so they're coming over. Okay?"

Katia nodded. "Thanks, Ash."

"You're welcome." Ashley bent forward and placed a kiss on Katia's forehead. "We're going to have a bit to do as far as the police paperwork goes but that's all later on."

The young woman only nodded.

"But we'll talk about that later."

"Ash, do you think you can do me a favour?"

Ashley tilted her head in question. "Anything."

"Call Erin and let her know I'm okay."

The state trooper's warm smile grew and she nodded. "Of course." With her free hand, she pulled out her cell phone and looked up Erin's number that she'd received from the roommate awhile back ago. She hit send and after a pause it rang. "Hey Erin, this is Ashley. I got some news for you." She paused and smiled. "Yes, here." She handed the phone to her best friend.

Katia retrieved the phone and her glowing smile lit up her face. "Hi, Er." She quietly laughed at hearing her roommate's happy voice. "Yes I feel pretty good. How is everybody?" She giggled. "I'm sorry I scared everybody. I'm okay, I promise." She went quiet as she listened to her roommate on the other end. "I would love it… bring Sara and Mike too." She chuckled and nodded. "Okay, I'll see you soon… bye." She closed up the phone and handed it back. "Thank you."

"Welcome."

"Erin is coming over with the group."

The state trooper sighed dramatically.

Katia hastily swatted her friend as best as she could. "Cut that out."

Ashley smirked. "They are good friends," she relented and smiled.

"They are," agreed Katia but before she could add more she heard a knock at the door.

"Come in," called the state trooper.

The door pushed open and young Lisa Danforth's head popped around the corner.

Katia laughed and said, "Hi sis."

"Kat!" Lisa pushed into the room with the biggest smile on her face. "Mom and dad are coming." She rushed to her sister's side and engulfed her in a warm hug.

Ashley turned her head when Mr. and Mrs. Danforth entered the room. She gave them a smile and she was warmed when they returned it back. Her little fears about the parents settled finally after that smile. And when she saw how Katia's parents fussed and cared over her for the next few hours told her that everything would work out. And during that entire time Ashley never broke her locked hand with Katia's, even in front of the Danforths because for once she didn't care about their opinions and only about comforting Katia.

**To be continued.**


	26. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

"Carver?"

Ashley tilted her head a little and removed her trooper hat. "Yes, sir."

"Come in, please." The captain was standing behind his desk and beside him was a short female.

Ashley Carver knew the uniform to be military that the woman wore. She was all too familiar with the uniform especially when the woman turned around with the captain.

Captain Smith offered a smile to his trooper then held out a hand to the small woman beside him. "First Sergeant Ashley Carver, I'd like you to meet Captain Caitlin Jonson."

Captain Jonson came around the desk and held out her hand.

Ashley didn't hesitate to approach her and briskly shook Captain Jonson's hand.

Captain Jonson took a step back beside Captain Smith, her hands resting on her small hips.

"Captain Jonson will be my successor, Carver." Captain Smith noted the hidden surprise in his trooper's eyes. "Captain Jonson comes from the military."

"Yes," readily agreed Ashley, "You are a captain in the military, sir?"

Captain Jonson refrained her smile for the obvious proper title Ashley gave her. "Yes, sergeant. Captain Smith mentioned you are in the military."

"Yes, sir."

The small woman lifted her chin some. "What division?"

"Twenty-ninth, sir."

Captain Jonson briskly nodded.

Captain Smith cut back into the conversation. "Sergeant Carver is one of my best troopers, Captain."

Captain Jonson thinly smiled and peered up at the other captain. "That is good to know." Her attention drew back to Ashley. "I've heard your recent work with the local drug troubles."

"Yes, sir. It'll be taken to trial within the month or so."

"I am glad to hear that. My congratulations on the job, sergeant. I expect to see the same work when I take over."

"Of course, sir." Ashley Carver had unknowingly placed her hands behind her back, much as if she were in the army. She hadn't quite realized she'd subconsciously done it until now.

"What's your rank in the army, sergeant?"

The trooper held back her smile but her eyes glowed proudly. "Corporal, sir."

Captain Jonson mutely nodded. 

"Thank you for stopping in, Carver." Captain Smith offered a warm smile to his trooper. "Captain Jonson will be taking over within a few days here."

Ashley almost sighed because she enjoyed working with Captain Smith. She was sad to see him retire. "When is the party, sir?"

Captain Smith quietly chuckled. "Tomorrow evening, sergeant. I believe you will be there?"

"Of course, sir." Ashley's eyes though wondered back to Captain Jonson. For some reason, she was very taken with her soon to be captain. She recognized the distinct shoulder patch of an army captain neatly sown on the captain's jacket.

Captain Caitlin Jonson was rather short, mostly likely Katia's height, which put her around five foot and four inches. Her hair was about shoulder length and a striking, brilliant auburn shade. This tended to make her greyish green eyes glow with depth. And despite her small framed body there was a certain air of strength and power that vibrated off her.

Ashley Carver knew this woman was a force to be reckoned with if she was dare crossed. Ashley had to admit she was taken by this older woman's commanding presence. Then Captain Jonson's deep sultry voice cut through Ashley's idle thinking.

"I look forward to working with you, sergeant. It was nice to meet you." Again the captain held out her hand for a shake.

Ashley quickly accepted it and offered a faint smile. She then dipped her head and put her hat on as she walked out of the room. As soon as she made it to her desk, she was pounced by young Trooper Tern.

"Yes, trooper?" slowly drew out Ashley as if she was annoyed.

Trooper Tern cleared her throat and replied, "Katia Danforth has arrived. She's waiting out in the lobby."

"Thank you," curtly replied the sergeant.

The young trooper said nothing else and rushed back to the front desk.

Ashley's lips curled into a grin after she'd scared Tern off. She had too much fun with that young trooper despite in all reality they weren't much different in age. Yet she knew her height gave her much advantage over many people. Ashley pulled out a folder from her right bottom draw then stood back up from her chair.

Katia Danforth rose up from her chair when the door opened with Ashley in it. She instantly felt a smile tug at her lips. She adjusted her purse on her right shoulder then headed for Ashley.

Ashley couldn’t resist her own smile at seeing her best friend. She then oddly noted a plastic bag tucked under Katia's right arm. "What's that?" she quietly asked when Katia was close enough.

"Something you might be interested in," whispered Katia. She peered down at the bag then back at Ashley, her eyes gentle.

The trooper nodded and pushed the door open more. "Come on." After Katia stepped into the back office, she followed after her. "This way," she ordered. Ashley took an interrogation room and pulled out a chair for Katia.

After Katia got comfortable, she set the bag on the table. "I think this'll help with the trial against Bobby." She carefully untied the bag and opened the bag enough to be peered into. "After...." She fell short but after a deep breath, Katia forced herself to finish. "After I was… raped, when I went back to the room. I changed out of my clothes." She paused and looked at Ashley. "I guess all those crime shows paid off," she tried to joke but it didn't seem to help.

Ashley reached over and gently touched her friend's leg. "These are the clothes from that night?"

Katia only nodded.

The trooper sadly smiled and squeezed Katia's leg. "Thank you."

"I hope it can help. There might be some… evidence." Katia retied the bag and pushed the bag aside. "How is everything looking?"

"Good… really good." The trooper set her folder on the table between them. "I have your statement ready. You just need to look over it and sign it."

"What about the charges?" quietly asked Katia.

"That is ready too."

Before Katia got into the paperwork, she looked up at Ashley. "Was there any bail for Bobby?"

"Yes. Unfortunately the DA couldn't do anything about that."

"Has his bail been paid?"

"No and it doesn't look like it will be." Ashley clearly saw the relief escape Katia. "It seems his family doesn't have much money to begin with. So there's nothing to worry about, K."

"I'm glad," gently whispered Katia.

Ashley sadly smiled but her head was dipped down as she thumbed through the paperwork in her folder. She finally found what she was looking for and she pulled out several sheets of stapled paper. She placed it down on the table in front of her friend. "Go ahead and look over everything. I'm going to take care of these." She picked up the page of clothes that now would become evidence in the case against Bobby Fluehr. "I'll be back," she assured while standing up.

Katia didn't move or say anything as she listened to her best friend leave the room. After the door clicked, she focused on the first page of her statement. She knew this would take awhile so after a deep breath she started on the first line.

After about fifteen minutes, Sergeant Carver returned to the interrogation room to check on her friend. As she quietly entered, she noted Katia carefully studying the statement. She silently took her seat. "I meant to tell you," she softly spoke, "most of Bobby's friends are also being arrest."

The young woman paused in her reading and peered over at the state trooper. "They are?"

"Yes," quietly continued Ashley. "We have enough information and witnesses to arrest them." She went quiet for one second then added, "I'm not sure exactly what's going on with them. There's another officer mainly involved with that."

Katia merely nodded then returned to her statement. She didn't have much left so she was finished within two minutes. Her head bobbed a few times as she took the pen that awaited her. She slowly and carefully formed her signature on the line then followed it with the date.

"Next are the charges that you're bringing against Bobby." Ashley picked up the statement then brought over the charges, a little thinner. She slipped the statement away into it's folder.

Katia now leaned against the table and began reading over the charges against Bobby Fluehr. "When will I testify?" she whispered.

"I'm not sure yet," replied Ashley, "but the ADA will contact you about that."

The small woman only nodded as she continued reading the charges. When she finished, she again signed the bottom and dated it. She handed the thin layers of paperwork to her best friend then looked up at her.

As Ashley glanced at it briefly she asked, "How are things with your family?"

"They're okay," quietly answered Katia. She didn't say anymore despite there was plenty more to add but she didn't feel comfortable here talking about it.

Ashley grasped her friend's closest knee and whispered, "Later."

The young woman felt a sad smile tug at her lips. She was grateful her friend was so perceptive about her. "Thanks," she muttered.

The state trooper nodded then stood up.

Katia got up too and silently follow Ashley out of the room and back to the lobby. She then went out the front door as Ashley held it open for her. Katia stopped walking when she came to her car, she faced her best friend.

Ashley stood tall and proud in her form fit uniform. Her lips thinned with a soft smile.

Katia melted into the smile and instantly she fell into a warm hug with her friend.

The state trooper squeezed tightly to Katia and she murmured, "I'll see you tonight?"

"Yes," promised Katia. She then pulled back and after one last smile, she got into her car.

Ashley started back for the barracks but she glanced back as Katia pulled out onto the highway. A faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips. She turned away and entered through the front doors.

***

Katia snuggled deeper into Ashley's embrace, a faint sigh escaped her. She was completely full from her dinner a couple of minutes ago with her friend. Her mind was also full, full of concerns and questions. "So what happens now?" She peeked up at her best friend. "Where do we go now?"

Ashley softly smiled and her right hand slid up Katia's arm. Her fingertips then started tracing Katia's face, along her jaw line, small nose, soft lips, and warm cheeks. "I think right now you need some time." She noted the slight confusion glowing in Katia's eyes. "Get your life back on track," she clarified. "I'm not going anywhere," she promised.

"I know," murmured Katia. She now looked at her feet and noted her shoes were still on so she pushed them off. She then stretched out on the length of the sofa and shifted around until her head rested in Ashley's lap.

"Comfortable?"

Katia sensed the note of teasing in Ashley's tone. "Very," she lightly responded. "You?"

"Quite comfortable," agreed Ashley. Her fingers now ran through Katia's locks of blond hair. "How is your family?"

"Okay." Ashley's rhythmic touch made Katia's eyes drift shut. "I had a lot of explaining to do… with Bobby and all."

"How did they take it?"

There was a lingering silence except for Katia's deep breath. Then finally Katia replied. "There were a lot of questions… from Dad mostly. He was pretty angry about what happened." She paused then continued. "Mom was rather upset." She again stopped and opened her eyes. "Dad handles the legal side of it and Mom takes care of the health aspect of it. I mean I knew they would be there for me… I just didn't want to…."

Ashley tilted her head some as she wondered why her friend trailed off. She tried to figure out what Katia was thinking so she took a guess. "Deal with facing them?"

"Yes… I don't like involving them in my life sometimes." Katia's lips pressed tightly together. "They try to take control even though I know they mean well."

"Well they are parents," reminded Ashley, "that is their job."

"I know but I am going on twenty-one… you know."

"Doesn't matter what age you're going on to," gently teased Ashley, "they're always parent you."

"True." Katia went quiet for awhile. "I guess… I don't know." She sighed as her eyes closed again.

The state trooper hadn't stopped running her fingers through the golden locks. She let it stay silent for awhile then she quietly asked, "Does your father have a temper?"

"A small one… yeah."

"You know it's not so small if somebody ends up getting hurt." Ashley waited for some response but nothing was forthcoming. "Nor should it be ignored."

"Accidents happen, Ash." Katia opened her eyes again.

"Katia," slowly started Ashley, "does he abuse you… or your mother, sister?"

Katia sighed as her right hand went through her hair after Ashley's hand. "It's happened a couple of times… where he's gotten a little too angry about some stuff." There was a pause then Katia continued. "He's actually trying to stop; he's realized what he's been doing." She peered right up at Ashley. "He's getting anger management." Katia breathed heavily while putting her last thoughts together. "Mom is still having troubles with drinking… some times I think it's slowing down but I'm never really sure. Its her escape from work… reality."

Ashley was quiet for awhile, her mind putting together everything her friend had told her. "First, thank you."

"Why?" muttered Katia.

"For telling me, K… I know you've been holding that back from me."

"I know," murmured Katia. "From you and me… I sometimes try to ignore what's going on in my life."

"Yes you do seem to do that, don't you?" gently bantered the state trooper.

Katia mocked glare but then the smile broke her dark expression. "Yeah I know I do." She sighed and lost eye contact. "I have a lot to work on, huh?"

"Everybody has something to work on," reminded the trooper.

"What you have to work on?" suddenly teased Katia.

"Except for me," quickly shot back Ashley. "I'm perfect."

Katia cracked up laughing and smiling at the joke. "Riiiight," she breathed out between her last giggles.

The state trooper softly smiled and quietly stated, "I guess I can work on being a little less protective over you." She went silent and her eyes met Katia's.

Katia's lips puckered ever so slightly.

Ashley' lifted an eyebrow, a grin creased her lips.

"Naaaah," loudly joked both women simultaneously. They then fell into a short fit of laughter and giggles together. After they settled down, Ashley's thoughts went more serious again and Katia picked up on it.

"What is it?"

Ashley's eyes focused on her friend. "K, it might be a good idea to get some therapy."

Katia lips tightened then loosened in a span of a few seconds. "Yeah… you're right." She bit her lower lip then peered up at her friend. "I'm kinda nervous though… about going…. I've actually already looked into a few doctors. My mom suggested it."

"That’s good to hear." Ashley's hands shifted away from running through Katia's hair and now she traced her features. "If it'd help, I'll be happy to go with you, K. To the first couple of sessions until you feel comfortable."

"Really?"

"Really really," whispered Ashley.

Katia started to smile.

Ashley mirrored back the tender smile.

"Thanks, Ash."

The state trooper bent forward until her lips pressed against Katia's forehead. After the gentle kiss, she whispered, "Anytime."

For awhile, the pair remained quiet – both in their thoughts. Katia knew it'd take awhile before everything fell into place for her but she knew it would happen. She thought she knew who she was a long time ago but lately she'd come to realize she didn't know herself quite that well. It would take some time and she was prepared to give it that time. She also knew it'd be a quite some time before she revealed to her family about her gay tendencies. Katia wasn't even sure herself about that aspect of her life; her sexuality. What she was certain of was that she was clearly attracted to Ashley, on several levels. And it was in that thought that brought her back to the present.

"Ash?"

"Hmmmm?" Ashley broke from her thoughts, her focus back on her friend.

"What's going to happen between us? I mean… I…"

"K…." Ashley rested her right hand on her friend's shoulder and gave it a soft squeeze. "I think first you need to get your life back together. Then you can start to decide whether you want to go in this direction."

"What if… what if it takes a long time? I mean I can't expect you to wait for me."

"Take however long you need to, K." Ashley brushed back a loose piece of her midnight hair. "I can be patient… with some things." She smiled at the faint grin on Katia's face.

"Well what if… I decided I'm really not… you know, interested in women after all."

"Then we'll always be friends, Katia." Ashley shrugged. "It's okay."

"I just… I guess I just don't like seeing you put your life on hold for me, Ashley." Katia frowned. "I don't see how I'm worth it."

"Katia." Ashley lowered her head down close to Katia's, her eyes locked on emeralds. "You let me decide what is and isn't worth it in my life. You're very worth it, understood?"

Katia blinked but she nodded and faintly teased, "Yes ma'am."

"I think you need to take care of yourself first. Then we'll see how things are… where we are. It's nothing that needs to be rushed and I'm here for you."

Katia closed her eyes and her throat filled with a lump. She tried to swallow it down but she really couldn't at all. She sat up and swung herself around. She quickly pulled her best friend in for a long hug.

Ashley's soft smile appeared and she tightly hugged her friend. She knew in time everything would work out for Katia and for herself.

"Everything is going to be okay," quietly realized Katia aloud.

"In time," happily whispered Ashley, "in time." She turned her head and kissed Katia's temple. "Promise."

Katia pulled her head back from the crook of Ashley's shoulder. Her cheeks burned with hot tears but she was smiling. "Thank you so much, Ashley… for everything, for being here."

Ashley's emotions screamed to the surface and suddenly warm tears were caressing her face.

Katia's right hand pressed tenderly against Ashley's wet cheek. "I love you… so much." She leaned in.

Ashley's eyes instantly closed when her soft lips pressed against Katia's warm moist ones. When Katia pulled back from the light kiss, she whispered, "I love you too, Katia."

**The End.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As previously mentioned, this story is mostly an original piece that is an uber (alternate universe) version of Xena & Gabrielle from the XWP fandom. This is the original 2003 Edition.
> 
> More recently, MST has been completely re-written from scratch and published under the book title Wicomico Slow. The upcoming book is a New Adult Contemporary Romance novel to be published in early September 2019. For more details on all editions, please see below. Also, I encourage readers to join the WASP Publishing mailing list. I tend to promote new upcoming books with pre-order discounts, which Wicomico Slow will have. Thank you for the support!
> 
> \---
> 
> Maryland State Trooper (2003 Edition)  
> [ https://archiveofourown.org/works/19970767/chapters/47277376](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19970767/chapters/47277376)
> 
> Maryland State Trooper (2007 Edition)  
> [ https://archiveofourown.org/works/20003014/chapters/47361022](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20003014/chapters/47361022)
> 
> Wicomico Slow (Published Novel)  
> [ https://wasppublishing.com/books/1003-mst/](https://wasppublishing.com/books/1003-mst/)


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